Truth in Chains
by The.Gemini.Twins12
Summary: The truth frightens us, but every lie we tell ourselves to hide it is another link added to the chain imprisoning us.
1. We're Back

_**We're back~**_

_**Hey, everyone! **_**I'm Castor, **_I'm Pollux, __**and we're the Gemini Twins! **_And I'm Acirema. _Oh, right! Acirema was just too darn cute to leave alone! _**So we're keeping him with us with lots of cookies, milk, and Disney movies. **Let it go . . . Let it go . . . Can't hold me back anymore._*Squeal* So cute!_** One of us has to remain coherent. *Rolls eyes.* Anyway, onto warnings!**

**We don't own Hetalia!**

_But we do own quite a few of the characters, _including me, _cute!_

**Rated M for maybe torture scenes and just because we've had trouble in the past with our stories being deleted by Fanfiction.**

_We don't mean to offend anyone!_

_**And feel free to correct us if we get something wrong!**_

_**And now . . .**_

**Castor,**

_Pollux,_

And Acirema,

_**Are proud to present**_

**Truth**

_In_

Chains

_**Enjoy! Please review!**_


	2. India

Disclaimer: _**We don't own Hetalia!**_

A/N: _**Hey, everyone!**_

_The schedule's getting changed around a bit, we're doing Truth in Chains before As the Bell Tolls because we want to do a kidnapping story. _**Yep! Time for more kidnapping! **_This one's going to be different from what we usually do, though._

_**So, enjoy! Please review!**_

* * *

**India**

Egypt closed the door behind himself and leaned against it with a sigh. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cool wood. The stress of the entire day had caught up with him. Several meetings with different bosses from all over Africa, their personifications missing or not answering their phones.

Opening his eyes, Egypt untied his shoes and carefully removed them, placing them on a rack with the rest of them. After long days outside of his country, Egypt loved returning to his quiet home where he could find peace for himself. It was too exhausting to spend so much time with the other nations. Egypt set his briefcase on the kitchen table, sending a silent prayer to the gods that they might actually have a peaceful year.

Turning around, Egypt blinked in mild surprise to see the guest standing in the doorway. The man was tall like Morocco, though his build was more muscular than her slender frame. Three scars ran through his left eye in parallel rows, sharpening his light brown eyes. His pale-brown skin was darkened in the setting sun.

"Merhaba, Algeria," Egypt said, turning back to his briefcase. He heard footsteps approach from behind until the taller nation was standing directly behind him.

"Are you not surprised to see me, Egypt?" Algeria asked in his growl of his voice, skipping any greetings.

"Why should I be?" Egypt asked. "You are my brother, after all." Algeria chuckled at the words, lifting an urn from a decorative table to study it. Egypt watched his brother with a carefully controlled expression.

"Why are you here?" Egypt finally asked, after several minutes of watching Algeria study a few more of his possessions.

"As you just said, I am your brother," Algeria said, and set down the precious gold vase he had been holding. "Does that mean I am not allowed to come visit you?"

Egypt sighed at the words. "Do not twist what I say, Algeria," he said. "You know I hate it when you do that." Algeria just chuckled and folded his arms, watching Egypt put his briefcase in his study.

"How else am I supposed to get an answer from you?" he finally asked. "You say so little, it is almost impossible to know what you are thinking."

"What do you want, Algeria?" Egypt asked for a second time, stopping to stand before his brother and crossing his own arms. "You never come to simply speak to me."

"You have me," Algeria said with his hands raised in defeat. "I came here because I need your help."

"Does this happen to include America?" Egypt asked, quirking an eyebrow. He could clearly remember the time Algeria had kidnapped America and tried to sell him on the slave market. Morocco had been beyond furious with her brothers.

"La," Algeria said with a disgusted face. "It has something to do with . . . my other activity."

"Your other activity?" Egypt repeated. "From the way you said it, I am thinking it is not legal."

"I never said it was," Algeria said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Then I am afraid I will not help you," Egypt stated. "Is that all you wanted to ask me?"

"I," Algeria paused before leaning forward. "Was not asking for your help."

"Then what were you asking for?" Egypt asked.

"I was not asking for anything," Algeria said. "I was telling you I want your help."

Egypt raised an eyebrow at the words. "You know very well I will say no when you say it like that," he said.

"That is too bad," Algeria said with a sigh. "Then I guess it cannot be helped."

"La," Egypt said. "It cannot." Turning to walk Algeria to the door, he was surprised when someone seized him by the front of his t-shirt and slammed him into the wall. Grabbing the newcomer's wrists, Egypt looked into the face and blinked in shock.

"Mauritania?" Egypt asked, staring up at his brother. "What are you doing here?"

"Do not answer," Algeria said curtly. "Just do what I told you to." Mauritania closed his eyes and took a deep breath before nodding and opening them once more. Pulling Egypt away from the wall, Mauritania shoved him onto the table and pinned him to the furniture.

"Algeria," Egypt said sharply to his brother. "What are you doing?"

"You will find out soon enough," Algeria said, reaching across the table to pat Egypt's head but Egypt jerked away from him.

"What does that mean?" Egypt demanded. He froze when cold metal pressed against his wrist. "La!" Egypt jerked his wrist away from Mauritania, striking the other African nation in the knee with his foot. The taller nation yelped in more surprise than pain and stumbled back. Egypt stepped away from his brother quickly, glancing down at his wrist to see a chain hanging from it.

"What are you doing, Algeria?" Egypt asked. "I am not in the mood for your games."

"You mistake me, brother," Algeria said. "I am not playing."

Algeria leapt forward, surprising Egypt with the attack, and managed to pin his brother back against the wall. Egypt struggled as hard as he could, his chest pressed painfully against the cool wall. He felt Mauritania take his wrists and jerked away from the nation. There was a sigh before Algeria used his own body to pin Egypt harder against the wall and grasped the wrist tightly. Egypt grunted in pain at the grip on his wrist, closing his eyes tightly when he felt the cold metal close around his free wrist.

"Step back," Algeria commanded, leading Egypt backward by his shoulder. Mauritania knelt beside Egypt and closed the shackles around his ankles quickly. Egypt let his chin fall to his chest, wondering just what his brother was up to this time.

"I think it is time to return home," Algeria said. "Before your people begin to wake up."

Egypt struggled when Algeria and Mauritania began to drag him forward. He glanced back helplessly to where his cellphone still sat on the table. It disappeared from view when the back door was shut and locked. Turning around, Egypt let his weight fall the ground, causing Algeria to growl in the back of his throat and simply drag him forward. They stopped before a white van parked on the side of the road. Algeria opened the doors to the back and stepped aside, allowing Mauritania to lift Egypt into the back.

"What are you doing, Algeria?" Egypt asked again, quietly this time.

"I am doing what I must," Algeria said. "If you had simply agreed, this would have never happened. Enjoy your ride, brother, I will let you out as soon as we reach home."

Egypt had opened his mouth to respond when the door was slammed shut in his face. Footsteps moved alongside the van followed by the doors opening and slamming shut. Leaning against the wall of the van, Egypt let his head fall back and bump on the metal.

_What on earth is Algeria doing?_

* * *

A/N: _**What did you think?**_

_We're bringing a kind of sensitive but serious issue to light in this story: _**Human trafficking. It happens all over the world, even in the United States. **_When the time comes for the Superbowl, the people in charge tell people to keep their women close. Many women can just disappear in the hustle and bustle of the game._** So please be careful, no matter where you live.**


	3. Russia

Disclaimer: _**We don't own Hetalia! **_But they do own me, Acirema.

A/N: _**Hey, everyone! **_Hello.

**Like we said before, Acirema will be joining us in the Author's Notes, **_because he is just too darn cute! _Miss Castor, Miss Pollux, what is a three-way? **Gah! **_Never you mind! Just keep being cute and innocent! _. . . Okay?

_**Enjoy! Please review!**_

* * *

**Russia**

Algeria had never been the siblings' favorite brother. He was cruel, heartless, and not to mention self-centered. His desire for power had led these three qualities to only be made more dangerous. Egypt and his brothers and sister had seriously considered disowning Algeria at one point. Now it was too late, the tallest of the brothers was conquering Africa.

A solid _click_ echoed around the room and Egypt looked up from examining his hands. After the long drive from his house to Algeria's he had been moved to a small room with only a bed, chair, dresser, and a lamp on the ceiling. Egypt had been forced into wearing simple cotton pants and a pale blue shirt. It was dreary to say the least.

"Merhaban, brother," Algeria said from the doorway. He took in Egypt's position on his bed before pulling chair aside and sitting in it. "I hope you have been comfortable." Egypt didn't answer, he only glared at his brother who sighed. "You know why I took you," Algeria said, running a hand through his close-cropped hair. "I need your help, and you are family after all." Egypt only continued to glare at Algeria before he finally spoke.

"You know I do not condone with your practices," he said.

"What would you have me do?" Algeria snarled as he bolted out of the chair so quickly it toppled backward. "Leave Africa to maul themselves? Europe left us in ruin! They are like children, they play with their toys and never clean up after themselves. Look at what has happened to us."

"You brought this down on yourself," Egypt said, standing from the bed. Though Algeria stood a good foot taller than him, he didn't back down. "You enslaved over half of Africa and sold them. What did you think my opinion of that would be?"

"Your opinion?" Algeria scoffed. "Why would I need your opinion? I took the task of helping Africa onto my own shoulders. When Rwanda begged for safety, do you think I turned her away? What about Sudan? South Africa? No, I took them in. I gave them a safe place to live."

"You sold them as slaves," Egypt retorted. "You forced them to accept someone as owning them for far too long."

"But they are safe," Algeria said. "What about when you had your problems? Did I leave you alone? No, I helped you. I cared for you when your people were rioting." Egypt could see the furious tremors running down his brother's arms.

"Would you have sold me as well?" Egypt asked darkly, ignoring the warning signs, even when Algeria's eyes flashed in anger.

"You are my brother," Algeria said through gritted teeth. "I would never sell my own blood." The tremors were growing stronger and Egypt could feel the atmosphere like a taut bowstring, read to snap at any moment.

"What about the rest of Africa?" Egypt snapped back. "Are they not your brothers and sisters?"

"They are my fellow nations," Algeria said in a dangerous tone. "You are my blood, brother. We share a people."

"When you asked for my help," Egypt said. "I had hoped this was nothing more than a phase. It was not until Western Sahara called me I understood the circumstances. I came to investigate her claims." Algeria scowled at the words. "I had plans to fly to America's house and speak to Morocco."

Egypt bit back a surprised yelp when Algeria seized him by the front of the shirt and slammed him up against a wall. Algeria pinned him there with an arm across Egypt's throat. Leaning in to speak in a low voice, the light darkened Algeria's scars.

"You would speak to Morocco of this?" Algeria said, his voice low and furious. "Do you remember what happened the last time?"

"You tried to sell America on the salve market," Egypt replied coolly. "It was not until I told Morocco of what you were doing that you were stopped."

"She tried to kill me," Algeria said. Egypt flinched when his grip tightened. "She scarred me for life." Algeria's eyes flashed at the memory of his sister wielding a sword aimed for him. "Did you not know where these scars come from?" He ran a finger along one of the three scars. "She beat me within an inch of my life."

"Do you really believe you did not deserve it?" Egypt asked. "You tried to sell her husband."

"America is a fool," Algeria snapped back, pressing his arm even tighter on Egypt's throat. "We were doing just fine on our own before he came in."

"We were conquering each other," Egypt said through a constricted windpipe. "We were in chaos before he taught us how to live." Wrapping a hand around Algeria's wrist, he tried to pry his brother off him.

"How to live?" Algeria said, barking a laugh. "That is almost amusing coming from you."

"Almost as amusing as enslaving Africa?" Egypt asked. "As kidnapping and enslaving your own brothers?"

"They are here of their own free well," Algeria all but roared. He paused for a moment to restrain himself. "Mali chose to come here because he had no money. Mauritania, Libya, and Tunisia are loyal to me."

"They are not loyal to you," Egypt said, struggling harder against the weight across his throat. It was getting harder to breathe. "They are scared of you."

"And you, brother?" Algeria asked softly, cupping Egypt's cheek in an almost loving manner. "Are you scared of me?"

"I am your brother," Egypt croaked. "I have no reason to neither fear nor respect you."

Algeria's eyes flashed in fury at that and he shoved off the wall before slapping Egypt across the cheek hard enough to send his brother sprawling to the floor. Egypt stared up at Algeria in shock with a hand pressed to his burning cheek.

"You are not scared of me?" Algeria said darkly, advancing on Egypt. The nation scrambled back, his eyes wide in terror. "I can make you frightened, brother. I can have you cowering and begging for mercy." The words snapped Egypt out of his daze and he scrambled for purchase on the floor, attempting to escape to the door. He felt a hand close around the hem of his shirt and he was yanked back.

"Where do you think you are going?" Algeria snarled, grabbing Egypt in a tight grip by the back of his neck. "Did you really think you could escape me?"

"I am your brother," Egypt said, reaching back to try and pry Algeria's fingers from his scruff.

"That will not stop me," Algeria said. He tightened his grip until Egypt yelped in pain. "I will have you begging for mercy long before I show any." Egypt's eyes widened at the words and he struggled as Algeria threw the room's door open and dragged him out.

As Egypt was dragged backward down the hall he spotted a slightly taller man than himself standing down the hall just behind the wall. The man was watching him with a sad look in his eyes.

"Tunisia," Egypt shouted, struggling desperately in his brother's grasp. "Tunisia!" He watched in horror as Tunisia backed away, disappearing behind the wall with a sorrowful expression on his face. Egypt's heart sank as he was left to Algeria's mercy.

o-o-{ }-o-o

Germany sat awkwardly on Estonia's couch as his host sat on an adjacent couch with his legs crossed at the knee. A coffee table sat between the couches, blue cornflowers settled inside the vase and position directly in the center of the table. Poland sat beside Germany, looking around the living room with mild interested, an early warn sign of boredom.

Germany's eyes were fixed on the cornflowers, only breaking away from the blue petals when Poland jostled him on the couch.

"Mir leid, Estonia," Germany apologized stiffly. "What were you saying?"

Estonia only smiled in understanding. "I was asking why you and Poland made the trip all the way out here," he said. "When you two are supposed to be on your way to Iceland." Poland opened her mouth to respond but was silenced by Germany's hand clapping over it.

"We came to make sure you were attending the meeting," Germany said. Taking one of Poland's hands in a tight grip, he wove their fingers together.

"I can't believe Russia called a meeting all the way in Iceland," Estonia said with a sigh. He removed his glasses to polish them. "He didn't even ask Iceland first."

Poland frowned down at her and Germany's hands, tugging lightly on the tight grip.

"Did you get Russia's follow up e-mail?" Germany asked Estonia. "He sent another one out when several nations asked why he was calling a meeting between European and Asian nations."

"Jah, I did," Estonia said. "I wish Turkey and Ottoman would just call this war off between them. The stalemate is starting to get old."

"Ottoman had to move in with Greece," Germany said, a slight smirk growing on his lips. Estonia looked properly shocked at this new bit of information.

"Miks? _(Why?)_" Estonia asked, replacing his glasses on his face. Germany composed himself before answering.

"Ottoman threw a temper tantrum and destroyed his own house when he found out his boss had agreed to him joining the European Union," he said, struggling to keep a straight face. "Apparently he doesn't want to be anywhere near us."

"Which is totally right," Poland cut in before Estonia could speak. "Have you seen his closet? It's, like, absolutely atrocious."

"Poland, I've told you multiple times you can't judge someone by their clothes," Germany said with a sigh.

"I totally knew you the moment I saw your outfit," Poland retorted, looking at Germany's crisp military uniform. "You have a stick so far up your tyłek it's grown into an entire oak."

"POLAND!" Germany roared, flushing brightly. Estonia fell out of his seat laughing. Germany glared at the Baltic nation who was clutching his stomach. "You're not helping, Estonia."

"I-I'm sorry, Germany," Estonia gasped through his laughs. "B-But sh-she is right."

"ESTONIA!" Germany shouted. He rounded on Poland when she started laughing too. "WOULD YOU TWO STOP LAUGHING ABOUT THE STICK UP MY ARSCH?" He flushed even brighter when he thought about what he had just said. "J-Just . . . shut up already." But Poland and Estonia only laughed harder.

"Maybe when it, like, loses a couple branches," Poland replied through her laughter. Estonia howled in laughter but yelped when Germany's wallet struck him in the forehead.

"Just shut up already."

It was several minutes before Estonia and Poland finally calmed down enough to be cohered. Estonia returned to his seat, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief.

"I haven't laughed that hard since Egypt sang that song at the last world meeting," Estonia told Germany who had returned to his seat with his arms crossed.

"I'm glad you can laugh at my situation," Germany grumbled. He glared at Poland. "I will be speaking to Russia bout your behavior."

"What are you, like, going to do?" Poland retorted, crossing her arms. "Spank me?"

Germany scowled and grabbed Poland by the upper arm. Yanking her close, he proceeded to whisper in her ear. Estonia watched them curiously as Germany's hushed whispers grew harsher and harsher. Poland paled with every word, straightening up in her seat.

"N-Not that," she said. "I am totally not letting you use the crop again." Estonia flushed brightly and withered when Germany straightened up again.

"You don't get a say," Germany said with a smirk. By now he knew every trick in the book to get his wife to stop talking.

The room was quiet for several minutes, only the ticking clock filling the still air that was only getting worse. Germany finally cleared his throat to speak.

"So, Estonia," he said. "Will you be joining us for the world meeting?"

"Jah, I will," Estonia said, thankful for something sane to talk about. "But I promised to visit Guyana first. Our bosses want us to have a day to ourselves, and, I think, to talk about importing and exporting."

"Importing and exporting is totes fun," Poland said as she waved a hand flamboyantly, completely forgetting about her husband sitting beside her. "Especially when it's close and personal."

"Poland, you've just added the handcuffs to your sentence," Germany growled, and Estonia pales. His eyes flitted between Germany and Poland as he wondered about the safety of their relationship.

"Why don't you just, like, tie me up like you did when I made that joke at Switzerland's house in front of Liech?" Poland snapped back. "You haven't done that in a while."

"Fine, I will," Germany said, and Estonia gulped. "But this time we're adding the hook." Estonia felt his mouth fall open.

Poland mimicked Estonia, though her eyes widened as well. "Nie!" she shouted, leaping to her feet and making a move to run for the door. Germany managed to grab her by the wrist and drag her into his lap.

"You're not going anywhere," he said. "I'm the one with the plane tickets, and Russia won't believe you."

"Papochka totally believes everything I say!" Poland said, struggling in Germany's lap. "And I don't need those plane tickets. I'll just walk to Liet's house."

"L-Lithuania already left for the meeting," Estonia said unhelpfully. Germany smirked.

"Nie!" Poland wailed helplessly. "You, like, can't make me go with you! I'll run away when you turn your back."

"I guess that means we have to add a collar and leash as well," Germany said with a sigh. "Might as well just lose the hook and lean more toward pet." He perked up when he heard a thump. Leaning past Poland, he saw Estonia had passed out on the floor. "Hm, it looks like you were wrong, Poland. It only took seven minutes for him to pass out."

"Och, dzięki Bogu," Poland said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I, like, thought you were actually going to do that to me." Her heart sank when she saw Germany's eyebrow quirk.

"Who said I wasn't?"

Poland's eyes widened again and she began to struggle even more against Germany. "Nie!" she shouted. "I'll be totes good! I'll be the best wife you've ever had."

"That's what you said at the last airport," Germany said. He moved Poland off his lap and stood. "Stay there, I'm going to make sure Estonia is comfortable when he wakes up." Poland watched her husband lift Estonia into his arms before slowly standing and creeping toward the door as quietly as she could manage.

"Polen, werden Sie tun, was ich sage! _(you will do as I say!)_" Germany roared in his best soldier voice. Estonia didn't even stir at the noise level. Poland paused with her hand on the doorknob. She listened, praying Germany wasn't walking down the hall toward her. She gently began to turn the doorknob.

And then a hand fell on her shoulder, another grabbing her wrist. Germany pulled Poland back against his chest, his jaw only centimeters away from her ear.

"Didn't I tell you to stay on the couch?" Germany asked in a low voice, and Poland squeaked and seemed to shrink in on herself. "You can be so impossible sometimes," Germany continued with a shake of his head. "We better get going if we want to catch the plane. Estonia is as comfortable as I can make him." Opening the front door, he ushered his wife onto the front step and locked the door behind them.

"So we're, like, not going to your house?" Poland said hopefully.

"Why is it you always think I leave the house unprepared?" Germany asked curiously. He placed a hand in the small of Poland's back and began to lead her to the rental car.

"Nie!" Poland shouted before turning around and trying to race back to the house. "You chory i skręcone draniu!"

"Poland," Germany groaned. He wrapped his arms around her waist and dragged her all the way to the car. "We can lose the leash if you want, just get in the car." Poland pouted and went limp, refusing to move. North Russia had once made comment Poland looked like a dead fish when she was being forced to do something she didn't want to. "Danke, Poland," Germany said as he folded Poland into the passenger seat. "Don't worry, there's only a short plane ride to Iceland's house and even shorter car ride to the hotel."

"I'm, like, going to die," Poland muttered under her breath, allowing Germany to buckle her into the car.

"Ja, ja," Germany said. He shut Poland's door and made his way around the driver's seat. "That's what you always say." He buckled up before pulling out a cellphone and dialing a number. "Hallo, Hong Kong? Estonia won't be coming to the meeting right away. He's . . . preoccupied."

o-o-{ }-o-o

North Korea looked around himself at the small town of Scarborough, Tobago. His plane to Iceland had been forced to land when news of an incoming storm had been announced through the radio. It had surprised the Asian nation when he found out they would be landing in Tobago. He hadn't been expected to his twin suitors so soon after their last . . . get together.

Now here he was, an Asian nation with no idea where to go or, for that matter, where he actually was in the bustling town. He could remember Trinidad commenting Scarborough was home to nearly one-third of the island's population. So far, North Korea wasn't very impressed with the town.

Turning on his heel, North Korea had just started wondering where the local hotel was and whether or not Tobago was home, he usually spent his time at Trinidad's house, when he heard a shout.

"Steelpan! Heel!"

North Korea whirled around in time to see a silver streak racing toward him before he was bowled over by what could only have been described as a bear. Succeeding in tackling its pray to the ground, the bear proceeded to lick North Korea's face clean, the Asian nation struggling and shouting in shock.

"Steelpan!" the previous voice shouted again. They bear pinning North Korea to the ground growled and whined when something yanked on him. "Off, Steelpan. Hell. Brother, help me!" North Korea spat furiously when a tongue brushed against his lips; hot, stinking breath blew across his face as the bear snorted.

"Steelpan," another voice joined the first. "Heel." The bear fell back off North Korea and a heavy _thump_ was followed by an 'oof'.

Gratefully sitting up, North Korea wiped his face on the sleeve of his jeonbok. He looked up to find Tobago standing over him and Trinidad on the ground. Beside Trinidad, panting happily, was not a bear but a silver Newfoundland dog. The dog, Steelpan, looked as though it couldn't have been happier where it was. He barked once at North Korea, causing the Asian nation to jump in fear and surprise.

"Good boy, Steelpan," Trinidad said from his place on the ground, patting the dog on the head. Steelpan barked again.

"Are you alright?" Tobago asked North Korea as he watched Trinidad with a passive expression. North Korea noticed he wasn't wearing his usual fedora. The island nation had spiked hair, closely resembling another scarf-wearing, tall nation.

"Ye," North Korea said. "I was just a bit surprised, ez-ad." He pushed himself up from the ground, brushing his pants off carefully.

Trinidad moved to stand up but was pounced on by Steelpan who began to slobber all over his face.

"Steelpan!"

"Steelpan," Tobago said in a soft yet stern voice. "Walk." Steelpan barked once at Tobago before clambering painfully off Trinidad and trotting happily down the road. North Korea watched the dog go with a disdainful look.

Trinidad pushed himself up, laughing as he wiped his face clean from dog slobber.

"That's Steelpan," Trinidad told North Korea happily. He wiped the seat of his pants clean as he stared after the dog. Steelpan was sniffing a tree, his tail flying through the air.

"I figured as much, ez-ad," North Korea said. He flinched when Trinidad clapped him on the shoulder.

"Ya'll love him when ya get ta know him," Trinidad said with another laugh before he followed after Steelpan. "Hey, Steelpan, where are ya off ta, buddy? No, no, don't do that! Don't! STEELPAN!" Trinidad whirled around and dashed right past Tobago and North Korea, Steelpan hot on his heels. North Korea watched him, unimpressed. Tobago shook his head, still looking bored, and ran a hand through his hair, freezing when he noticed his fedora was missing.

"I hope I am not encroaching on your privacy," North Korea told Tobago. "My plane was grounded when news of a typhoon reached us, ez-ad."

"You're not a bother to me at all, North Korea," Tobago said truthfully. "I rather enjoy your company."

"STEELPAN" Trinidad was heard shouting from a tree where Steelpan was standing under. "DON'T YOU DARE! BROTHER WILL BE MAD AT – OH, FOR GOD'S SAKE!" North Korea turned to see Steelpan with his leg lifted against the tree, his eyes widened and he turned back around.

Tobago frowned and stomped up to the tree. "Brother," he said. "What the _hell_ are you doing in the tree?"

"Steelpan chased me up here," Trinidad said, glaring at the dog who lowered his leg and barked happily. "He tried to bite me in the a- Oh, gods," he said when he recognized the cracking noise beneath him. The branch snapped and the nation was sent tumbling to the ground in a heap. Steelpan was on him in moments. "STEELPAN!"

"Whose dog is that, ez-ad?" North Korea asked Tobago curiously as he wandered to the smaller nation's side.

"Brother's," Tobago said with a sigh. "I trained him, though, because Brother didn't take the time to do it properly. I could ride on his back when I was small."

"Really?" North Korea asked curiously. He winced when Trinidad howled under Steelpan's massive weight. "And Trinidad cannot control him now, ez-ad?"

"He never takes the time," Tobago said again with a shrug.

"Forget me, Steelpan," Trinidad shouted at his dog, his voice muffled. "Get the new guy! Get the new guy!"

"Mueos, ez-ad?" North Korea had the time to ask before he was bowled over by Steelpan once more, the dog happily licking his face.

Tobago sighed and sat astride Steelpan's back, waiting a few seconds for a reaction. Steelpan stopped licking North Korea's ears and straightened up. His tongue lolled as he looked around himself in awareness. He barked once.

"Very good, Steelpan," Tobago said, reaching out to stroke the dog's soft ears. Steelpan barked again and stepped over North Korea to trot down the road with Tobago still on his back.

North Korea was wiping his face clean again when he found himself seized by the shoulders and pulled to his feet. Trinidad straightened his jeonbok before using a handkerchief to clean the rest of North Korea's face.

"Sorry about that, North Korea," Trinidad said as he finished with his childish treatment. "Steelpan's a handful sometimes."

"Your brother can control him just fine, ez-ad," North Korea pointed out, and Trinidad pouted at that.

"Did you feel how heavy that dog was?" the island nation asked. "Steelpan was bowling me over when he was still a puppy."

"I thought it was a bear at first," North Korea said. He noticed Trinidad's thoughtful expression. "I am glad to see you do not own one of those, ez-ad." He watched as Steelpan, Tobago still astride his back, reared on his hind legs to snap at a passing cat. Tobago glanced over his shoulder, a passive expression still on his face.

"Are you going to come, North Korea?" he asked. "Brother is not invited."

"Tobago!" Trinidad shouted with a horrible screech. It was an unusual sound, something North Korea had never heard come out of the nation's mouth before. It had a short but rather loud 'Tah', long and screechy 'ba', and ended with an even longer and worse 'go'.

"Oh for God's sake!" Tobago practically screamed back. "You can come!"

"Thank ya, kindly, brother," Trinidad said as though nothing had happened. North Korea glared at him as they watched Tobago wander even further down the road.

"You just do that to annoy him, don't you, ez-ad?" the Asian nation said.

"Yep," Trinidad said happily.

"And you do this all the time, ez-ad?"

"Yep."

"And you get what you want, ez-ad?"

"Yep."

North Korea considered this for a moment before shouting up the road, "May we have kimchi for dinner, ez-ad?"

"I don't even know how to make it," Tobago called over his shoulder, tapping his hell against Steelpan's shoulder to make the dog stop.

North Korea looked to Trinidad who nodded encouragingly. "TABAGO, ez-ad!"

"Oh for God's sake!" Tobago, again, practically screamed. "I'll find it on the internet before the hurricane comes and make it."

"Woof!"

o-o-{ }-o-o

Francis slid an omelet out of the hot pan onto a plate, not wincing anymore when a hand shot out to grab the plate. He and India had been invited to stay at the Celtics' house in the cliff while they tried to sort out India's situation. France just hadn't realized that when England said 'house in a cliff' she literally meant a house in cliff . . . like, hanging-off-the-ege-how-in-the-world-are-the-five-of-you-still-alive in the cliff.

It scared France.

Northern Ireland fell into a chair with the prepared omelet and had just picked up his fork when Ireland swept into the kitchen and snatched the plate from him.

"Oi!" Northern Ireland shouted at his brother who just ruffled his hair playfully.

"Too slow, North," Ireland said with another chortle as Northern Ireland's wings fluttered angrily and he dug his fork into the table.

"Dinnae dae that," Scotland said as he wandered into the kitchen. He snatched the fork from Northern Ireland, the plate from Ireland, and sat down to eat. The twins glared at him. "What?"

'Mon Dieu,' France thought to himself as he sprinkled cheese on another omelet. 'How Angleterre survived with these buffoons is a wonder to me.' He looked up as Wales sloped into the kitchen. He half expected the winged nation to grab the plate from Scotland. Wales almost did, but stopped when Scotland snapped at his hand, smoke streaming from the corners of his mouth.

"Blimey, bad morning is it" Wales asked as he fell into a chair. He accepted the omelet France gave him silently, ignoring the Irelands' glares.

"Shut it, Wales," Scotland snapped at Wales as he jabbed at the omelet. "Do we have any more haggis?" he asked, not noticing his brothers' grimaces and Northern Ireland gagging.

"We're all out," Ireland said thankfully before Scotland could notice their faces. Many a breakfast tables had been flipped because someone had pissed Scotland off.

"Guess ye'll have tae go get some more," Scotland said through a mouthful of eggs. Ireland made a face at him.

"Why me?" Ireland demanded. "Bacon, please," he told France when the Romantic nation looked to him holding various ingredients in his hands. France nodded and turned to make the next omelet.

"Because A'm tae lazy tae go intae town today," Scotland said as he cut his omelet up into smaller pieces.

"We don't have time to go into town," Wales said quickly, ignoring Scotland's furious glare at him. "We have to catch a plane to Iceland."

"We could just fly over there," Northern Ireland said, not wanting to leave the house so soon. He blushed when Ireland pointed to France, and chuckled. "Oh, right."

"Perhaps Écosse could pick up some shark in Iceland," France suggested playfully as he placed a plate before Ireland. He ducked when Scotland threw a fireball at him.

"Oi!" a voice shouted, and the four brothers froze. England stood in the doorway in her pajamas. Her hair and wings looked worse than most morning – badly ruffled and drooping – and she looked as though she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep. "No throwing fireballs at the Frog until at least noon."

"Bonjour, Angleterre," France said as he straightened up. He turned back around, keeping a careful eye on the glaring Scotland, to continue making omelets. He was surprised when England draped her arms over his shoulders and leaned against him. "You're not usually this cozy in the morning, Angleterre."

"Shut it, Frog," England muttered into her husband's shoulder. "I didn't have a good morning."

"Oh, was it your frères? _(brothers?)_" France asked with a nod toward the no squabbling siblings. Apparently Ireland had looked at Scotland the wrong way and Wales was kicking Ireland under the table. Northern Ireland had taken to throwing Wales' breakfast at everyone.

"I just got a bit sick," England said. She sighed tiredly, ready for sleep, and nearly squawked when France turned around quickly.

"Quoi? Are you alright?" France asked. He placed a hand to England's forehead and frowned at the cool skin. "You don't have a fever. Perhaps you should see a doctor."

"I'm fine," England said. She didn't seem to notice Scotland fly over the table to tackle Wales from the chair, dragging Ireland with him. Northern Ireland grabbed Ireland's plate and continued to pelt food at them. "I just had a bit of an upset stomach is all."

"Hm," France said, unconvinced. "Tell me if you get sick again," he said, and England rolled her eyes. She screeched angrily when eggs hit her on the back of the head.

"WHAT ARE YOU FOUR BLOODY DOING?" England screamed as she whirled around to find Scotland, Wales, and Ireland in a pig-pile. Northern Ireland stood on top of it all, a plate completely upturned in his hands. England fumed as she took in the sight of her unruly brothers covered in food, wings tangled together, and bruises growing on their faces.

"Why do you four always act like bloody children?" England asked through clenched teeth. France saw four Adam's apples bob nervously and he smirked. Looked like he wasn't going to be the only one yelled at this week. "If you four hadn't acted like this every time we met for a meeting, then I would have allowed you to represent your own countries. But no, you just have to throw food at each other, bust lips open, and look like you're attempting a three-way."

Scotland and Wales both made disgusted noises, struggling to get off Ireland who was flat on his back. Northern Ireland squealed like a pig as he was thrown back onto the table. England screeched when Scotland, Wales, and Ireland proceeded to get into an argument about who be where if there was a three-way . . . incest left out of the question. Even France didn't think he would have done that.

"YOU THREE ARE IMPOSSIBLE!"

"Kyā musībata hai?" a voice asked from the doorway. India stood before the mess holding a pillow against his stomach with his lower arms and rubbing his eye with a hand while the other rested on the wall.

"Oh, good morning, India," England said in a falsely sweet tone that made France chuckle. It was going to be an interesting day.

"Why do I always end up on the bottom?" Wales demanded from his two older brothers.

"Because ye're wee," Scotland snapped back.

"And you whine too much," Ireland added. He ducked Wales' punch, popping up with a laugh that was cut off when Wales' next swing hit him the nose. "Ouch, me face!"

India watched the brothers argue for a minute before turning back around. "I'm going back to bed," he grumbled. "Then I'm going to find a way out of this hellhole."

"That is easier said than done, Inde," France said. "This place is high up on the cliffs." He turned around to find his beautiful omelet had been burned to a crisp. "Merde."

Five noses sniffed at the burning smell.

"Breakfasts' ready," the British Isles said together.

o-o-{ }-o-o

Estonia rubbed his head for the fourth time as he moved around the bedroom, grabbing various items from their homes and tossing them into his suitcase. The last thing he membered was Germany threatening Poland with some dangerous kinky activity before everything went black. He had woken up on the couch before remembering he still needed to pack. He had been more than thankful that Poland and Germany hadn't still been in the room when he had awoke.

Muttering to himself in Estonian as he slipped his treasured laptop into his backpack, Estonia zipped it shut and tossed the necessary cords and headphones into the next pocket, zipping that one shut as well.

Estonia turned around to return the hangers to his closet only to come and screeched in fear. "Armas jumal!" The hangers fell to the floor with a clatter.

A man stood in the doorway of bedroom, watching Estonia with cold eyes. He was tall and cocoa-skinned with dark, cropped hair. Three parallel scars ran through his left eye, resembling a tiger's scratches.

"Wh-Who are you?" Estonia asked fearfully. He didn't recognize the man at all except for maybe the fact he was clearly African.

"That is not a very nice way to greet a guest," the nation said in a deep voice.

"H-How did you get into my house?" Estonia demanded, his wits returning to him. "The doors and windows were locked, I checked."

"You are inquisitive," the nation said, still not answering Estonia's question.

"And you are invasive," Estonia retorted. He considered the cocoa-skinned nation for a moment. He was heavily built with large muscles. "I've never seen you at a world meeting before. Are you from Africa?"

"Naam," the nation said. "I have never bothered with you pigs before."

"Pigs?" Estonia repeated with a frown. He leaned against the windows beside his bed casually. "Who are you calling pigs?"

"Those bastards who attempted to _save_ the world," the nation said. He kept his dark eyes fixed squarely on Estonia.

"My first thought is America," Estonia said. He reached behind himself to feel for the latch of the window. "But he didn't do much in Africa beside Liberia."

"America is like a puppy," the African nation said, still watching Estonia with a rather bored expression. "He does what he can to please someone and is only beaten in the end."

"America saved Europe in World War One," Estonia pointed out. His wandering fingers finally located the latch and he tried to flip it as quietly as he could. "And again in World War Two."

"Because the pigs could do nothing," the nation said with a shrug. He shoved off the doorway, straightening up, and unfolded his arms. "Do you wish to feel pain?" Estonia froze at that, his fingers under the edge of the window he had been prepared to throw open.

"Mida?" he croaked.

"I asked if you wished to feel pain," the nation repeated.

Heart in his throat, Estonia stared at the African nation who kept him pinned him place merely by his glare. The nation was at least twice as large as him, nearly as large as Russia, and could easily take him down if he wanted to. The nation shifted forward and Estonia was snapped out of his fear. Throwing the window open, he clambered over the windowsill as quickly as he could.

"That is fine by me," the nation said with a shrug, and turned to head for the stairwell. "I gave you the chance."

Estonia watched the nation leave the room before his eyes flitted to his backpack where his computer was. The computer was shut down and would take forever to boot up. There was no way he could get help through that. Clinging to the windowsill with one hand, Estonia rooted around in his pocket until he finally found his cellphone. He chose the first name he saw and – tongue between his teeth – he typed out a message to Guyana.

_Trbl, attckd, need hlp._

Estonia hit the send button and stuffed the phone back into his pocket before looking back to the ground. It was a two story drop, nearly two and a half meters, if he was lucky.

"Death by fall," Estonia muttered to himself before looking back over his shoulder. "Or risk that guy?" Looking around himself and finding nothing that could help him get to the ground, Estonia made his decision. He slipped back into his bedroom as quietly as he could. He tiptoed to the door and pressed an ear against the cool wood. The nation's deep voice vibrated against the door, saying something quick and clipped. A soft voice responded to him, right in front of the door.

Internally swearing to himself, Estonia looked around himself. There was nowhere for him to go except the bathroom. And that didn't even open out to the hallway. He was trapped in this room as long as those nations stood outside the door.

A pair of strong hands landed on Estonia's shoulders and a deep voice spoke in his ear. "Please do not fight." Estonia shrieked in a rather unmanly way and elbowed his attacker hard in the nose before clambering back for the window.

There was the sound of the door slamming against the wall and another pair of hands grabbed Estonia by the ankles, dragging him back into the room. Both of the new nations had the same skin tone as the first, though they were slightly smaller and certainly less menacing.

"Ei!" Estonia howled, digging his fingers into the carpet helplessly. "Lase mul minna! _(Let me go!)_"

"Bring him down," the first nation said, and he turned to head down the stairs.

"Naam, Algeria," the second nation said, grabbing onto one of Estonia's arms. The other was seized in a tight but careful grip and he was hauled to his feet.

"Ei!" Estonia shouted again. He writhed in his captor's arms. "Ei! Lase mul minna!" He kicked out hard and wrenched at his captive arms.

"Please stop," the second nation said with the third twisted Estonia's arm behind his back. "We did not want to hurt you."

"Then let me go," Estonia begged, his eyes watering from the pain in his arm. "Please, just let me go."

"We cannot," the second nation said. "Algeria will have our heads if we did."

"I-I could offer you asylum," Estonia said as he thought quickly. "Algeria wouldn't be able to touch you."

"It is too late for that," the third nation says. "Come along, Mauritania."

"Naam, Niger," Mauritania said with a sigh. He helped to force the struggling Estonia out the bedroom door and down the stairs to the first floor. Estonia nearly fell down the stairs twice in his struggles, only stopped by the strong grips on his arms.

Reaching the first floor, Niger and Mauritania dragged Estonia into the kitchen where Algeria stood waiting. The tallest nation held an object Estonia thought resembled far too close to a rubber hose for comfort.

"I asked if you did not want pain," Algeria told Estonia, examining the rubber object in his hands.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Estonia asked in a bare whisper. He was leaning back against Mauritania and Niger's firm grips. He was certain they could feel the trembling running down his arms.

Algeria ignored Estonia's question, nodding to the table he had cleared off. Mauritania released Estonia's arm to grab his legs and the European nation found himself lifted onto the table on his stomach. Niger and Mauritania proceeded to pin Estonia down before the nation understood what was happening.

"E-Ei," Estonia said before he shouted, struggling against the two African nations. "Stop! Please! I'm sorry!"

"You chose pain," Algeria said as he approached the table. Estonia felt his jacket and shirt being torn open, the cool air hitting his bare skin. "So I am giving you pain." Estonia's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes widened.

There was a soft swish before the rubber object came in contact with Estonia's back and the nation yelped in both pain and shock. It wasn't nearly as bad as when he had lived at Russia's house, but that didn't mean there wasn't still pain.

"Stop!"

"Is that what you want?" Algeria asked before there another swish and more pain struck Estonia's bare back.

"Ei, please," Estonia begged. He flinched when the rubber struck him for a third time. "I'm sorry I ran."

"I have heard nations before for more than that," Algeria said, bringing the rubber whip down again. Estonia gritted his teeth against the pain and clenched his fists, banging his head against the table to distract himself from the pain. "You are weak," Algeria said. "Even Egypt lasted longer than you did." And the pain struck again.

"P-Please," Estonia tried again. His nails scraped against the wood, though Niger held his arms fast. "Just stop, please." Where was Russia? Or Germany? Why weren't they double checking that Estonia was a hundred percent certain he didn't want to leave for Iceland now?

"Why should I?" Algeria asked as he struck again.

Estonia whimpered. "Because I won't run," he said in a whisper, tears running down his cheeks. "I promise I won't run again." His back was stinging from the blows that only kept on coming.

"You want me to stop so you will not run?" Algeria asked, pausing, his arm in midair as he prepared to strike again.

"Just stop hurting me!" Estonia burst out. He gasped and squeezed his eyes shut tight again, preparing himself for another blow. But it never came. Instead there was a silence in which Algeria laid a hand against Estonia's tender back and the African nation leaned down to whisper in Estonia's ear.

"You want me to stop so you will no longer be in pain?" he asked softly.

"J-Jah," Estonia said under his breath. "Palun. _(Please.)_" Algeria was silent for moment before he stepped back and the rubber whip struck Estonia across the back once more.

"Then tell me."

"I don't want to be in pain anymore," Estonia howled. "Palun, stop! I won't run again and I won't fight!" The hand landed on his back again and he sobbed in pain as it rubbed gentle circles against his tender skin.

"Always tell me what you want," Algeria said softly. "Or you will be punished." And he turned on his heel, his footsteps receding.

Estonia felt the hands on his wrists and ankles loosen before he was released. Trembling, the European nation pushed himself upright and wiped the tears from his cheek. He had half a mind to run for it now but beat it down. He would never get very far, not even in his own country.

Niger began to pick up various items from counters and the floor and returned them to their rightful places on the table. The table runner was laid and the vase of flowers and candles replaced. There was a moment in which he helped Estonia off the table and into a chair so he could place the salt and pepper shakers down.

Mauritania opened the fridge and examined the food inside before finally grabbing a water bottle. He looked at it for a moment before turning and offering it to Estonia who looked from the bottle to the nation. Mauritania just gave him a soft smile and beckoned with the water bottle.

"Just do not drink it too quickly," he said. Estonia gingerly accepted the water bottle and opened it, taking a sip. He hadn't even noticed how parched his throat was until how. His back smarted from the blows that he knew wouldn't scar.

Niger finished rearranging the vase and dug around in his pockets before holding out some pain medicine to Estonia. Biting back a retort, Estonia took the tablets and swallowed them with a mouthful of water.

"The medication will make you drowsy," Niger told Estonia gently. "I will take you in my car, then you will be able to sleep in the back." Estonia swallowed hard before nodding slowly. He should have known the pain meds would be a sleeping drug as well. "The medicine will distract you from the pain," Niger continued, gently taking Estonia by the elbow and helping him out of his chair. "You can sleep and forget about the pain." He carefully led Estonia out the front door and down the steps to the path.

"Why are you doing this?" Estonia asked in a whisper as he trudged along Niger. He could already feel his limbs growing heavier with the drugs. The throbbing pain was slowly vanishing.

"Because someone has to clean up after Algeria," Niger replied. "Especially when he falls to pieces." He caught Estonia when the other nation nearly tripped on a stone.

"Th-That's not what I meant," Estonia said. "Why are you k-kidnapping me?" He had to stifle a yawn in the middle of the question. Niger glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before speaking.

"Algeria does not tell us why," he said. "Only what we need to do." Estonia muttered darkly under his breath at that before leaning against Niger, the tired sensation rolling over him in waves.

"Quick stuff," he mumbled.

"Only for the poor souls," Niger said with a sad smile. Estonia heard a car door open and he was eased down onto the back seat. There was a creaking of a cooler lid before ice packs wrapped in towels were placed between Estonia's back and the seat. Estonia mumbled a thank-you before his eyes slipped closed and he passed out into a drugged sleep.

* * *

A/N: _**What did you think? **_I didn't understand some of it._ Sweetie, I'm really sorry, but we weren't asking you. _**I'm hoping you didn't understand some of it! **. . . Is this more grown up stuff? Like what Ecnarf wouldn't tell me?** Good Lord, we're going to have to kill that Reflection. **_Agreed. _Miss Castor, what does Miss Pollux have in her hands? **That's a noose. **Oh . . . why does she have a noose?_ Because I'm going to kill that as- _**Pollux! There is a child present! **_Whoops, sorry! I mean, I'm going to hurt Algeria. _Oh, okay. You two are kinda silly. _And you're just plain adorable._

**After the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, America formed a country in Africa called Liberia so the slaves could return home to Africa. Problem was, the freed slaves moved to Liberia and proceeded to enslave the tribes there. :/ there weren't one solution down the drain.**

_Trinidad is often described the European nations as "Carnival year round". He's hyper when he wants to be, loves gambling, and playing with his dog, Steelpan. Just like America, he is a melting pot of several ethnicities and understands many of the world's cultures._

**Tobago is much more toned down than his brother and usually regards him with a passive or bored expression. He switched hands at least 31 times in his history and so he's not entirely fond of Europe, depending on Trinidad for safety. He loves Steelpan and can actually control him.**

**Trinidad and Tobago don't actually know who is who, **_so they just call each other 'Brother' all the time. _**That annoyed the Caribbean who decided the taller brother was Trinidad and the shorter Tobago. **_Trinidad and Tobago think this is hilarious and tends to make fun of Europe for it. Trinidad only ever calls his brother 'Tobago' when he wants something. This is done through a very obnoxious scream._

_Estonia has been controlled his entire life, changing hands from Denmark to Sweden to Russia to Germany and so on. Though he is braver than his 'brothers', he still doesn't like being beaten._

_A teacher in middle school once told me that rubber hoses don't leave marks when you beat someone with it, that's why they were once used in school punishments. I'm not 100% sure if this is true or not, so bear with us._


	4. China

Disclaimer: _**We don't own Hetalia!**_

A/N: _**Hey, everyone!**_

_Acirema has something he would like to say. Go on, buddy. _Thank you for the sweets, Miss Naru. They were very yummy. _Isn't he just adorable! _**Yes, he is. I just hope he doesn't pick up on anymore of our naught jokes. **What are you talking about, Miss Castor?** Nothing you need to worry about. **_Yes, let's try and keep you as innocent as possible!_

_And because I forgot to do this in the first Author's Note . . .HI, DALA, MEDUSA, MILANA, NARU, MANTYKE, LYS, CAHA, LISHYLU, MISSY, CLIO, AND BACK! And a big welcome to GhostlyQueen9!_

_**Enjoy! **_Please review._ *Squeal*_

* * *

**China**

Spain could not be depended on to do anything right in Portugal's book. The female nation's brother had caused far too many problems in his lifetime to change this firm belief. Therefore, Portugal took it upon herself before every meeting to check up on Spain and make sure he was doing his paperwork properly. This meant a trip to Spain's house with Slovakia who never wanted to go anywhere near the sunny nation.

Pushing the door open, Portugal made a face at the mess of her brother's house. There were dishes littering every flat surface and clothes covered the floor of the entryway. Portugal shoved the door open against an old leather jacket, causing the door to slam against the wall, and marched into the house. She ignored the shocked Slovakia staring at the mess. Her husband peeked around the door to see several dents in the wall made by the door and, most likely, Portugal herself.

"Espanha?" Portugal shouted down the empty hallway. "We here! You too lazy to come to door?"

"Is that really necessary?" Slovakia asked Portugal with a glare. He kicked a boot out of his way so he could shut the front door, an umbrella stand following close after.

"Sim," Portugal said, shrugging as if it were nothing. "He messy and lazy." She turned back around, wondering where her brother could possibly be in his large house.

"I can see the mess," Slovakia said. He looked around himself at the clothes and dishes. "So where's the hlupák? _(fool?)_"

"Como eu you saber? _(How should I know?)_" Portugal said with another shrug. "He siesta." She nearly screeched when a blonde head poked out of a doorway directly beside Slovakia. The male nation, unfortunately, _did_ screech, and in a very unmanly way. The screech was accompanied by Slovakia leaping back and hitting his head against the wall. Swearing high and low, he glared at the grinning girl.

"Hola," Andorra said to Slovakia. "Com estàs?" She pulled back inside when Slovakia aimed a swing at her head. Portugal hurried forward before Slovakia could do any serious damage.

"Olá, Andorra," Portugal said, poking her head into the office. "He girly. You?"

"I couldn't be better," Andorra said over Slovakia's well-chosen swear words aimed at her. She flashed another grin at Portugal before skipping across the sunny office to a desk and seating herself on the edge. Spain was asleep in the office chair behind the desk, his head on a stack of papers.

"It's a good thing Germà _(Brother)_ Espanya doesn't drool," Andorra snickered. "Or his boss would be furious." She crossed her legs and folded her hands on her knee.

Slovakia stalked into the room after Portugal and snorted at the sight of Spain asleep at his desk. Ignoring her husband, Portugal walked around the desk and placed a hand on the back of the chair.

"Wakey, wakey," Portugal said, and she pressed down hard on the back of the chair and sent it crashing to the floor along with its occupant.

"Ay caramba!" Spain shouted as he bolted upright out of his sleep. He groaned, rubbing his now aching head. "¿Qué pasó? _(What happened?)_" He looked up to see Portugal and brightened up, withering when he saw Slovakia behind his sister. "Hola, Porty. Hola, Slovakia."

"Ahoj, hlupák," Slovakia greeted with a sniff.

"Olá, Espanha," Portugal said to her brother. "How long you sleep?" She crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow at her younger brother.

"I only slept for a few minutes," Spain laughed, and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Slovakia rolled his eyes before turning his back on the siblings.

"Mentiroso, _(Liar,)_" Andorra sang happily. "You were asleep for six hours." She ignored Spain's furious glare.

"You no come to meeting?" Portugal asked, picking up a piece of paper to study it. They were importing reports from three years ago that still needed to be filed. Her brother could be such a sloth sometimes.

"No," Spain said. Standing up, he lifted the chair to its original position and plopped himself down in the worn seat. "My boss says I need to stay and finish my paperwork before I can attend the Eurasian meeting."

"I was supposed to keep him awake," Andorra said with a smile, ignoring yet another glare. "That's what the Bishop of Urgell told me to do."

"Hm," Portugal hummed as she picked up another piece of paper. It was Spain's financial position this time. "I no like tomatoes," she said, spotting an exporting report. "I no buy."

"¿Qué?" Spain demanded, bolting from his seat. Andorra was staring at Portugal in shock, having never seen a family member so readily abandon another. "How can you say that, Porty? You're one of my largest exports."

"You shouldn't be so dependent," Slovakia said from a corner where he was examining a battle axe. He glared at Spain over his shoulder. "It makes you weak." Spain made a face at him before turning back to Portugal with a desperate face.

"Por favor, Porty," he pleaded. "No hagas esto. _(Don't do this.)_"

"Por que não? _(Why not?)_" Portugal said with a shrug. "I no like them." She tossed the financial report back onto the desk with a lazy flick of her wrist.

"But what about your boss?" Spain asked hopefully. He grabbed Andorra by the upper arm when his younger sister tried to hop off the desk, no doubt to talk to Slovakia. "You have to get his permission before stopping any imports."

"Eh," Portugal said, shrugging again. "My boss go die in . . ." she trailed off as she wracked her brains for the word.

"Un forat? _(A hole?)_" Andorra offered in Catalan. Portugal gave her a blank look and she translated to Portuguese. "Um buraco."

"Sim," Portugal agreed. "He go die in um buraco."

"Porty!" Spain cried before letting his head fall to the desk with a hard _thump_ that made Andorra wince.

"I tell my boss that every day," Slovakia said, now examining a painting of Spain from his conquistador days. "Then again." He pulled a face. "He only laughs and hugs me every time."

Portugal sighed in exasperation and used her hands to perch herself on the desk. "Puppy no sad," she said. Spain turned his head to look at her.

"There's so much paperwork, Porty," he whined. "How am I supposed to get this all done by the end of the day?"

"You just do it," Andorra said with a shrug. Portugal watched her hop of the desk and skip over to speak with Slovakia who, surprising is wife, seemed to warm up to the small nation.

"I buy," Portugal said as she turned back to Spain.

"¿Qué? Spain asked, perking up at that. Sometimes he reminded Portugal far too much of a puppy for his own good.

"If you done," Portugal said. She tapped a manicured fingernail on the scattered paperwork for emphasis. "Then I buy."

"Really?" Spain asked excitedly. He grabbed the nearest pen and pulled a random piece of paper forward. "Do you mean it?"

"Sim," Portugal said, and she shoved off from the desk. "I buy tomatoes and more."

"¡Está bien! _(Okay!)_" Spain said. He tapped the end of his pen on the large stack of papers. "I'll finish this and meet you in Iceland for the Eurasian meeting." He frowned when he heard Andorra's tinkling laugh followed by a deeper chuckle. Portugal turned to see her husband smiling fondly down at Andorra.

"We take her?" Portugal offered over her shoulder. "She gone, you work."

"Sí, that might be a good idea," Spain said as he continued to watch Andorra laugh at something Slovakia had said. "I think she put medicine in the water I drank a few hours ago. Maybe I shouldn't have let her hang out with Bauhinia yesterday."

"Ei?" Portugal asked, whipping around to glare at her brother and planting her hands on her hips. "You what?" Spain shrank away from his sister's fury.

"¿Qué?" he asked helplessly. "Andorra sked me if she could hang out with Bauhinia yesterday when she was in town and I said sí."

"She no safe?" Portugal said. "She . . . kaboom!"

Spain paled at the words. "She does like fireworks," he said softly. He continued to watch Andorra, as if imagining her holding a stick of dynamite. It wasn't such a difficult task, he and France having had to grab various explosives from Andorra throughout the years.

"We go now," Portugal said with sigh. "Before she find fire."

"Sí, sí, that would be a good idea," Spain said. He flinched when Andorra knocked his battle axe over on accident. "Cuidado, _(Careful,)_ Andorra."

"Ho sento, germà, _(Sorry, brother,)_" Andorra said with a sweet smile to her brother. "Do you think Turkey is going to be at the meeting?" she asked hopefully, and Spain groaned, banging his head on the desk.

"That bastardo," Spain said into the mahogany. "I can't believe he beat France and me."

Portugal crossed the room to pat Andorra on the head. "He there," she said before leading Andorra from the room. "He be there." Slovakia shot Spain a dirty look before following his wife out of the office.

"What did I do?" Spain asked the empty room. Shaking his head, he picked up the pen again and looked back to the piled paperwork. This was going to be a long day.

o-o-{ }-o-o

Poland mumbled incoherent Polish words into the pillow her head was resting on and moved uncomfortably. Her hands were still handcuffed behind her back and the collar still locked around her throat. The leash trailed over the edge of the bed. Turning her head, Poland spotted her husband lying next to her. She kicked him lightly in the leg to get him to wake up.

"Hm?" Germany mumbled in his sleep. He shifted tiredly before rolling over with his back to Poland who made a face.

"Hey!" Poland shouted before delivering a well-aimed kick to Germany's exposed back. "I'm still, like, tied up." Germany groaned and rolled over to glare at Poland.

"Why is it you complain about every little thing when I'm trying to sleep?" he asked his wife.

"Because," Poland said simply. "You always, like, untie me afterward." She rattled the handcuffs behind her. "You forgot this time!"

"Um . . ." Germany said, blushing. Poland watched him look over his shoulder at his nightstand before propping himself up on an elbow to look at Poland's. "Um . . . Um . . ." Poland found herself shunted aside as Germany began to scrabble through the sheets. Ice flooded her stomach.

"Oh mój Boże!" Poland shrieked furiously. "You, like, lost the key!"

"I-I didn't lose it," Germanys aid quickly. He finally gave up on the sheets and leaned over the edge of the bed to peer under it. "I'm just not entirely sure where it is yet."

"This is all your fault!" Poland said, kicking Germany for the third time in the morning, this time on the rear end. Germany was sent over the bed, landing on his head hard.

"Ouch!" he shouted. "Poland," he said, popping up to glare at his wife. Poland stuck her tongue out at him.

"Your fault," she said.

"Look," Germany said to Poland. "I'll find the . . . key." Poland watched as the blood drained from his face and this time fury flooded her. That _idiot_.

"You totally forgot it," Poland said. "Didn't you?"

"Ja," Germany said in a hushed whisper. He stood up, pulling on a pair of pants as he began to wander around the room. Poland could see him thinking through the problem. Flopping over like a fish out of water, Poland tried to keep an eye on her husband. Handcuffs were out of the question from now on.

"Go back to your house," Poland ordered. "And, like, get it."

"Poland," Germany said with a groan. "We're in Iceland. I can't just go all the way back to my house to get a key for handcuffs."

"I don't care!" Poland huffed. "This is totally your fault, so go and get the damn key."

"Look, I know it's my fault," Germanys aid. He grabbed the bed sheets and draped them over Poland. "So I'll fix this. Just wait here." And with that he turned around before Poland could argue, grabbing his card key on the way out.

"Hey!" Poland shouted, struggling under the sheets as she tried to get them off her head. "Get back here!" There was no answer form Germany except for the door clicking locked once more. Poland froze, listening to the sounds of the quiet room. She could hear the nations next door arguing about something too loudly. From the sounds of it France was yelling at England about a doctor. Poland reminded herself to ask Lithuania about that later.

Poland's arms had just started falling asleep when she heard voices outside her door. She recognized Germany's deep tones just fine, but not the laughing male or stern female voices.

"You are so irresponsible, Germany," the female voice hissed at Poland's husband. "Not only for forgetting the key but for coming to ask my husband for help."

"Look, I couldn't go to Prussia," Germany snapped back. "He wouldn't let me live this one down for a century."

"And I will?" Poland finally recognized Albania's voice. No doubt the nation was snickering behind his voice. "I've got to give you credit though. The first time I tied him, her, it up it almost killed me." That meant the female voice was . . .

"_It_ is a she!" Vietnam screeched at Albania, followed by a smack.

"Germany!" Poland screeched at the door, finally managing to get the sheets off her head. "Do not, like, let them in here!"

"Không," Vietnam snapped at someone. "You're not going back in there, you've done enough damage." Poland heard Germany begin to argue but Vietnam cut him off. "I said không. And neither are you, Albania."

"Hey, Vietnam," Albania said, his voice suddenly serious.

"Những gì?" Vietnam asked waspishly. "This better be good."

"I overheard China in the hallway," Albania told his wife. "He said he's planning to send some troops to North Vietnam. Something about regaining lost siblings." Poland frowned at the words; rotten liar.

"Well, then, go fix it," Vietnam told Albania hotly. Poland heard Germany snicker before the sound of flesh on flesh. "Shut it, moron."

"That's the thing," Albania said. "He was on his way to the airport, military uniform and everything. He was even holding a gun. He said he was going to personally lead the attack."

"Then go ground the plane by doing some techy weirdy thingy."

"Techy weirdy thingy?" Germany repeated, followed by an immediate smack again. "Ow, stop it!"

"Then don't be an idiot," Vietnam retorted. "And, husband," she said to Albania. "Don't try to trick me. You know I'm not as dense as Korea."

"Okay," Albania said. Poland could just imagine him shrugging. "Korea and France are going through your suitcase." Poland heard Vietnam mutter to herself in her mother language before there was a furious shriek followed by receding footsteps.

"KOREA, GET OUT OF MY STUFF!" Well, there went one ally.

"Wow," Germany said. "I didn't actually think that would work." Poland glared at the door, ready to blame him for everything going wrong today.

"Neither did I," Albania said. "I feel bad for Korea, though. Thanks for the cardkey, by the way." Poland heard Germany shout furiously before there was the sound of a key sliding and a click as the door unlocked.

"Gott verdammt, you kleptomaniac," Germany hissed. He shoved Albania aside and hurried into the room. He looked sheepishly at Poland. "Sorry it took so long to find someone. Usually I might ask America for help in this kind of situation."

Every nation knew America followed a very simple policy. Nevada hanging upside by her ankles from the railing? Don't ask. Massachusetts and New Jersey arrested because they tried to lick the Liberty Bell? Don't ask. The entire Midwest sprawled across the living room with bottles of liquor? Don't ask. Just. Don't. Ask.

America was usually a good guy to ask for help in a difficult situation if you didn't want any questions.

Ignoring this well-known fact about America, Poland glared at her husband from her place twisted in the sheets before planting her face in the pillow.

"I totally don't want to know."

"Ja," Germany said. "Let's just say tequila shots with Spain and Portugal turned out to be a very bad idea. Especially when Portugal found all the handcuffs." Poland's laugh was muffled into a choking noise by the pillow. She could heard Albania roaring in laughter behind her.

"I've got to remember that," Albania wheezed out.

"Nein, you won't," Germany said. The bed sank as Albania was shoved down beside Poland. "Now unlock those handcuffs and get out of here."

"Po, po," Albania said. Poland turned her head to see him pulling a small leather case out of his pocket. He opened the case and removed two small tools. He studied Poland for a few seconds before turning to Germany. "Could you try and keep her calm?" he asked Germany. "Poland kind of has a fear of restraints and strange people. She doesn't really know me all that well."

"Ja, sure," Germany said. He walked around the side of the bed and sat beside Poland, stroking her hair. "Mir leid, my dear."

"What are you, like, sorry for?" Poland snapped, turning her head to glare at Germany. She froze when she felt Albania begin to work on the handcuffs.

"I forgot the key," Germany said. He continued to stroke Poland's hair soothingly. "I'll make it up to you."

"Just don't let Vietnam see this," Albania said, twisting one of the tools. "She'll get ideas."

"I'm sure she knows all about this," Germany said. "Didn't you two first meet when I handcuffed you to her?"

"Um, po," Albania said. "She hit me, really hard."

"That was hilarious," Germany snickered. "I'll never forget the story about her drugging you with a kiss." Poland felt Albania pause in his work, she turned her head again to see his confused face.

"Çfarë? _(What?)_" Albania asked.

"You made Vietnam angry when the two of you were handcuffed together," Germany explained carefully. "So he kissed you with the drugged lipstick she had on."

"I, um, ah," Albania stuttered, his brow furrowing. "When was that?" he asked. "Are you sure it wasn't Ancient Egypt? She did that to me one time."

"Nein, it was Vietnam," Germany said. "Switzerland was with you when it happened."

"Switzerland," Albania said, closing his eyes and nodding. "Alright." He twisted the tool again and straightened up when the handcuffs unlocked with a click. Germany sighed in relief as Poland sat up, sheets wrapped tightly around herself, and rubbed her sore wrists. Pain like needles prickled at her fingers as the blood rushed back to her hands.

"Danke, Albania," he said. "Please don't tell my bruder."

"Um, po, sure," Albania, still looking confused. "He'd probably declare war on me."

"Ja, probably," Germany agreed. He moved off the hotel bed to open the door for Albania but was greeted by a fuming Vietnam.

"What is _this_?" Vietnam hissed at Albania, brandishing a colorful magazine at her husband. Poland watched the other female nation curiously.

"Um," Albania said as he studied the flying magazine. "I have a feeling it's not mine."

"It was in your suitcase," Vietnam said. She unfurled the magazine and Germany's eyes widened. Poland blushed brightly. It was a Playboy magazine. "Would you care to tell me where you go this, you sick bastard?"

"Cheers, Love," Albania said, bending forward to fold Vietnam over his shoulder. "You've been shanghaied."

"Không!" Vietnam screeched angrily as she hit Albania over the head with the magazine. "Không! You're not getting away with this, Albania." Albania grabbed the magazine and threw it at Germany who caught, instantly dropping the magazine as if it was on fire.

"Can you give that back to Switzerland, please?" Albania asked Germany. "And tell him I'm really sorry Liechtenstein heard that. But I don't need him interfering with my wife or endangering my life."

"Oh, I'll endanger your life, alright," Vietnam shrieked. "Just you wait, Albania, you're going to regret this all the way to New Year!" Her furious shouts disappeared as Albania marched away.

Poland sprawled back on the bed. "What was that about, like, making up?" she mumbled. Germany looked to her as he let the door swing shut behind him, but not before he heard two distinct sounds.

"Kesesese!"

"Ohonhonhon!"

o-o-{ }-o-o

Estonia was terrified. He didn't know where he was or what exactly was going on. The only thing he could remember was the sound of an engine piercing his drugged sleep and then waking up in this small room. Mauritania had entered his room not long after he'd woken up and given him some clothes to wear. The cotton shirt and pants were both a pale blue. He hadn't even had a chance whether or not he wanted to change into the clothes. His own had been taken away, though they'd left his glasses for him.

The lock on the door clicked and Estonia looked up from examining his hands. Algeria stood in the doorway, watching him carefully. Neither nation moved for a moment before Estonia turned his gaze back to his hands and Algeria moved into the room, dragging the chair with him and sitting down in it.

Estonia swallowed hard and folded his hands in his lap. He couldn't remember much about Algeria expect that he had been a French colony during Europe's invasion of Africa.

"What?" Algeria said simply.

"Nothing," Estonia said softly, too frightened to anger the African nation. It was the wrong thing to say.

Estonia was seized by the front of his shirt and thrown down on the bed, pinned on his stomach. He could feel Algeria's sharp knee pressing hard between his shoulder blades. His shirt was being brushed up and Estonia's heart pounded against his chest. He struggled hard against the African nation before hearing the telltale sign of rubber swishing through the air and there was a sharp _smack_ on his bare back.

"I'm sorry!" Estonia yelped into the pillow, struggling harder. "I don't understand what you want from me! You frighten me!" He tensed for another blow that never came. Instead, Algeria was silent for several seconds before he shoved off Estonia. Scrambling up, Estonia pressed himself against the wall, staring at Algeria with wide eyes. The African nation was holding what looked like a riding crop in one hand.

"I scare you?" Algeria repeated, and Estonia tensed in fear.

"J-Jah," Estonia said quietly. He licked his lips nervously before continuing. "I-I don't know what you want from me. I don't know if you'll beat me for looking at you, o-or for saying the wrong thing." He watched Algeria fearfully, not sure how his captor would react to the information. But Algeria didn't look angry, only contemplative.

"I will beat you if you do not say what you think," Algeria said, leaning forward and steepling his fingers. Estonia shifted away from her slightly. "I never want any of the salves to think they must be kept silent. "I am not . . . _human_." The last word was spat with a strong distaste. Estonia gaped at the African nation, his stomach dropping. Had he heard him right? _Slaves_?

"I have a reason to why I brought you here," Algeria said. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. "I would like you to make these." He offered the paper to Estonia but the other nation didn't move from his position.

"Salve?" Estonia said softly, still stuck thinking about what Algeria had said just moments ago. "Y-You're going to sell me t-to someone?" He tensed when he saw Algeria close his eyes and sigh through his nose.

"Not yet," Algeria said, opening his eyes again. "Not until you are trained."

"Why would you do that?" Estonia asked. He twisted a fist in the sheets, terror flooding his stomach. "Slavery is illegal in almost every country in the UN."

"But not for the nations," Algeria said pointedly. "There are no laws pertaining to us about slavery."

"B-But . . ." Estonia thought through his words carefully before speaking. "It's _wrong_," he finally said. "You can't just enslave another nation. We have duties to our countries."

"And so the master will take on those duties," Algeria said. "He will see to it the nation is healthy and happy." Estonia ducked his head to hide the tears forming in his eyes. He clenched his eyes tight, thinking through his options.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" he asked softly.

"Naam, you do," Algeria replied. "You are given a choice."

"What are my choices?" Estonia shouted furiously at Algeria, looking up at his captor. "Either get sold and be happy or get beaten down and be sad?"

"Would you rather be beaten?" Algeria asked. "I know Angola is not a pleasant nation to be with."

"E-Ei," Estonia moaned. He slid sideways and wrapped his arms around his aching head. How had they not noticed Algeria doing this to Africa? "I don't want to be beaten, but I don't want to be sold."

"If you make these," Algeria said, and Estonia heard him shaking the piece of paper at him. "Then you may stay here and perhaps leave later." Estonia lifted one arm to peer at Algeria curiously. The African nation looked serious enough about his promise. Holding a shaking hand, Estonia gingerly took the paper and unfolded it.

"If you make those then you will not be sold," Algeria promised. "I know for a fact Niger is looking for assistance."

Estonia examined the written list of requests before speaking. "I'll need a computer," he said softly, looking up at Algeria. "For parts. I-I'll need to do some experimenting before I can make this work."

"Tunisia will be with you," Algeria said. He stood and moved to the door to open it, reveling a shorter nation standing in the doorway. The nation had been eyeing Estonia worriedly before he glanced fearfully at Algeria.

"F-Fine," Estonia mumbled. He folded the paper back up and tucked it carefully in his pocket.

"Take him to the computer room," Algeria ordered Tunisia. "La ted' lh 'ela shebkh alanetrent _(Do not let him on the internet.)_"

"Naam, Algeria," Tunisia muttered, and he stepped aside to allow Algeria to pass. Once his older brother had gone he turned back to look expectantly at Estonia.

Sliding off the bed, Estonia slowly made his way out of the room. Tunisia shut the door after him and began to lead the European nation through the hall. Estonia looked around as they walked. The walls were made of cement and emitted a cool air. They must have been deep underground. Looking at the back of Tunisia's head, Estonia couldn't help but wonder if the nation was like Tunisia and Mauritania. The other African nations had been kind to him, understanding.

"What is your name?" Tunisia suddenly asked over his shoulder, and Estonia blinked in surprise. The African nation's voice was softer and far lighter than his three brothers'.

"Estonia," Estonia replied. He turned his gaze to a wall as they walked. "Are you one of Algeria's brothers?" He unexpectedly collided with Tunisia's back, the African nation having stopped in the middle of the hall. "Oof." Estonia rubbed his forehead before stumbling back quickly. "Sorry! I didn't mean to run into you."

"Es-tonia?" Tunisia repeated slowly, as if tasting the word. Estonia could see the confusion on his face.

"Jah," Estonia said. "I'm over by Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia. I'm one of the Baltic States."

"Estonia," Tunisia repeated, clearer this time. "Latvia. Lithuania."

"I don't supposed you've gotten to meet many nations outside of Africa," Estonia said with a shrug. He waited for Tunisia to continue walking, but he didn't.

"La, I do not," Tunisia admitted. "You are the first in many years."

"I'm not surprised," Estonia muttered under his breath. He hadn't meant for Tunisia to hear him but the African nation cocked his head curiously.

"Why are you not surprised?" he asked.

"It's just," Estonia paused for a second before looking over his shoulder for Algeria. "Algeria doesn't seem like the kind of nation to let anyone go."

"He does not," Tunisia said. "He has never let anyone go." His shoulders slumped as though becoming heavy and Estonia felt pity for the African nation. "Not even us, his brothers." Estonia pursed his lips before gingerly placing a hand on Tunisia's shoulder.

"He can't keep us here forever," he said consolingly. "Someone's bound to notice."

"No one noticed Africa," Tunisia said. "We have all been enslaved for decades and no one noticed."

"I'm sorry for that, Tunisia," Estonia said softly. "I really am." Tunisia stared at him for a second before turning around and continuing on down the hall again.

"To answer your question, Estonia," he said over his shoulder. "Naam, I am Algeria's brother."

o-o-{ }-o-o

Norway tapped her fingers impatiently against the hotel counter as the receptionist searched the computer's database for her name: Eira Im. She had done her best to be patient with both the human and her husband but now she was just losing it. Either Korea needed to stop that annoying humming or he needed to go sit somewhere else. Norway couldn't remember the exact name of the song Korea was humming, but she was knew it was about an ice princess. Korea had once had the gall to comment Norway was just like the ice princess. He'd slept on the couch for a month.

"Eira," the young Icelandic would paused and looked up. "And Yong Soo Im?"

"Ja," Norway said quickly, wanting to get out of the hotel lobby. "That is us." She could see the confusion in the human's face as she looked between the pale Norwegian and the smiling Korean. The married couple got that look a lot.

"Balam-eun anjjog i soyongdol-i chineun pogpung cheoleom jijneun doenda, _(The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside,)_" Korea sang happily in his native tongue. "Cheongug eun naega nolyeog eul algo an-eulo gyesog hal su eobs-seubnida, da-ze. _(Couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried.)_" Norway lost it at that point.

"I am going to kill you!" Norway shrieked, ignoring the poor receptionist as she leapt for her husband. She landed on him hard and proceeded to try and strangle him. Korea only laughed as he flailed under his wife.

"Non lasciare che trovi a, _(Don't let them in,)_" Italy sang happily from beside Denmark who glared at her. Hovedstaden wouldn't stop singing that song. "Non far vedere loro. _(Don't let them see.)_"

None of the nations milling around in the lobby noticed the front door of the hotel, Iceland staring around himself in horror. His gaze moved from the struggling Norway and Korea to the slightly panicking receptionist at the desk. Trying his best to ignore the nations, he marched over to the desk.

"Halló, Britta," Iceland said to his human friend with a sigh. "I hope Eira hasn't done anything to scare you?"

"Not at all," Britta said, giving a panicky laugh. "I'm kind of glad you got me this job, it's been quite exciting."

"Has it?" Iceland said, turning around to see various European and Asian nations sitting around in the lobby. His fox ears flicked in aggravation under his hat at the sight of India arguing loudly with England as to why he had to share a room with Scotland and Ireland. He didn't even bother to use their human names.

"I really wish they wouldn't do that," Iceland said with a sigh.

"Do what?" Britta asked. "Use their nation names?" Iceland looked at her over his shoulder. She was like many of the other Icelanders with her blonde hair and blue eyes.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you anything." Britta just giggled at his statement.

"Let it go!" Hong Kong's voice projected from the balcony on the second floor where she sat on a railing. Several humans and nations turned to watch her. "Let it go! Can't hold it back anymore!" Some of the humans looked confused at the outburst of song, others were more curious about the many nations standing around them,

"What is it going to take to get you to shut up?" Norway shrieked at Korea, giving up on strangling him.

"A kiss, da-ze!" Korea said happily, and China groaned. The ancient nation had long ago stopped trying to control his siblings. Especially when Korea had too much sugar.

"Let it go! Let it go!" Taiwan sang as she slid down a banister. "Turn my back and slam the door!"

"I don't care what they're going to say," Thailand sang with a sigh when Taiwan pinched him hard upon landing on the floor beside him.

"The cold never bothered me anyway," Russia finished with a cold smile that caused several nations to pause for a moment. Norway's eyebrow twitched and Iceland, recognizing the warning signs, paled.

"Guys," he started to shout. "Stop!" He had barely finished the word when Norway slammed a fist against the ground beside Korea's head and every nation suddenly found themselves standing on a patch of ice. Many of them slipped and fell.

"Denny!" Italy shrieked, grabbing her husband's jacket sleeve as she tried to stay up. "I can't stand!" Denmark grabbed Italy by the upper arm and tried to keep her steady while not slipping at the same time.

"Fanden, Norway!" Denmark bellowed at his sister. He stopped Italy from slipping but then slipped backward himself, pulling his wife down on top of himself.

Many of the humans in the hotel stood transfixed at the sight before them. Hong Kong glared at Iceland from where she and Taiwan were sprawled on the floor.

"This is all your fault," she said.

"Why it mine?" Iceland protested, but Hong Kong just stuck her tongue out at him. Sometimes he could never understand his girlfriend's mindset.

"Someone get Germany," a voice muttered. The nations looked around at the Icelanders who were milling about in curious confusion.

Used to the dangers of slipping, Russia made his way across the lobby and marched up the stairs to find Germany. It was several awkward minutes before a furious German bellow echoed down the hall. The shout caused the humans to shrink in fear, Prussia yelped and scrabbled on the ice to escape his furious bruder, Russia appeared quickly, flying down the stairs, and England leapt behind France.

An angry Germany was a scary Germany.

"What the hell is going on?" Germany roared as he thundered to the top of the stairs. He scanned the lobby with cold blue eyes, taking in the ice covered floor and slipping nations. "Who caused this?" Every finger pointed to Iceland who, had he not been wearing a hat or tucked his tail away, would have felt his fox appendages droop.

"I did not," Iceland protested weakly. "No – er – Eira did it."

"Emil," Germany groaned as he massaged his temples. "You need to stop pushing the blame onto other people. It won't help you in the long run." Hong Kong smirked at her boyfriend who felt his blood boil.

"But I didn't do it," Iceland smirked. "I'm not _that_ good."

"Emil, please stop," Germany said. "Just go to your room, I'll come and talk to you later." He hurried down the stairs, careful as he walked across the ice. "In fact, I want all of you to return to your hotel rooms immediately." When no one moved immediately he flushed. "NOW!" There was the scampering of feet as nations hurried up the stairs and down icy halls. Italy had to eventually be picked up by Denmark because she just plain refused to try walking.

Iceland balled up his fists, trembling with rage. "This is my house," he said slowly through clenched teeth. "THIS IS MY HOUSE!"

"Iceland!" Britta cried and stumbled around the desk in time for a sheet of ice to cascade out from the nation and cover the entire room, floor to ceiling. Germany and Hong Kong barely ducked in time, though several Icelanders were coated in a thin sheet as they blinked in even more confusion.

"Icy," Hong Kong said quickly. She slipped her way to Iceland's side, taking her boyfriend's hand carefully in her own. It was burning hot. "Hey, hey," she cooed soothingly. "It's not your fault. I'm sorry I said it was. I shouldn't have."

Norway stood and brushed her skirts off before studying the humans around her. She had to hand it to Iceland, her brother's people were a hardy and curious bunch.

"You will not remember this," Norway eventually said, her voice layered thick in magic. "You will all return to your rooms and come out in an hour." Slowly, the Icelanders nodded as though hypnotized and began to make their way carefully across the ice.

"Icy?" Hong Kong asked Iceland. She massaged gently circled on the back of his burning hand. "Are you alright, Icy?"

"Don't touch me," Iceland mumbled, shrugging Hong Kong off. Britta cried out and pulled her hands away when she felt the nation's skin heat up even more. Stumbling across the ice, Iceland left the hotel quickly. Melting footsteps marked his path.

"Iceland!" Hong Kong shouted before following after the island nation. "Iceland, wait! I'm sorry!"

"Verdammt," Germany said, massaging his temples. He glared at the trembling Korea. "This is your fault, isn't it?"

"Y-Ye, da-ze," Korea said, tears forming in his eyes.

"It was mine," Norway interrupted, stepping in front of her husband. "I lost control of my temper. Korea was just having some fun."

"We need to be more careful when we're around humans," Germany said. He spared a glance for the door and sighed again. "Britta, please find the room number of Wang Yin. She'll probably be watching a movie or something, hopefully. Tell Yin to go look for her parents in the forest."

"Já, sir," Britta said. She hurried around the desk and began to tap away at the computer keys again.

"Norway, would you and Korea begin to search for Iceland?" Germany asked his cousin. "I feel Hong Kong and Bauhinia might be able to calm him down together, but I don't want to lose him and find him in a week when he's the hosting country."

"Of course," Norway said, pulling the moping Korea to his feet. "Korea knows all the best hiding places." This caused Korea to cheer up almost instantly.

"That's right," Korea said. "I now where Iceland's probably hiding. Let's go, da-ze!" Grabbing his wife by the wrist, he dragged her out of the hotel. He slipped four times on the ice and was whining by the final time.

"Um," Britta said, glancing after Norway. "She never got their room key."

"Just save it for when they get back," Germany sighed.

"Já, sir," Britta said. She had just turned back to her computer when she paused, remembering something. "Um, one of the bellboys asked me to give this to you." She held out an envelope for the nation. "He said you left it on the cart."

"Danke," Germany said, accepting the small envelope and opening it. The object inside caused a slow blush to creep up his face.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" Britta asked Germany worriedly.

"N-Nein," Germany said as he tucked the envelope into his back pocket. "Just a key I dropped."

o-o-{ }-o-o

Spain may have been a very laid-back and relaxed nation, but his present boss was not. The loud human was currently on speakerphone, his voice filling the large office, yelling at Spain about Portugal cutting all exports from them. The afternoon was throwing long shadows across the room, causing Spain to become tired despite the loud shout.

"Sí, sí," Spain told his boss, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "Comprendo. Es sólo temporal. _(I understand. It's only temporary.)_"

"Él dijo que nunca exportar con nosotros otra vez, _(He said he would never export with us again,)_" Spain's boss ranted. "Él incluso cortó las importaciones a nosotros. Pensé que ella era su hermana. _(He even cut imports to us. I thought she was your sister.)_"

"Sí, lo es, _(Yes, she is,)_" Spain told his boss. "Es . . . complicada. _(It's . . . complicated.)_" He laid his head on his folded arms and exhaled hard, ready for a nap.

"Si ella es tu hermana luego controlarl, _(If she's your sister then control her,)_" Spain's boss said angrily. "Ella es una chica. _(She's a girl.)_"

"Eso sólo lo hace más difícil, _(That only makes it harder,)_" Spain said, his voice muffled by his arms. "Yo ya he ocupado de ello. No te preocupes por nada. _(I've already taken care of it. Don't worry about it.)_"

"Será mejor que tengas, _(You better have,)_" his boss snapped. "O me estoy que declara su hermana un territorio. _(Or I'm declaring your sister a territory.)_"

"¡Usted no puede hacer eso! _(You can't do that!)_" Spain said, bolting upright in surprise. "Si usted hace eso luego Eslovaquia declarará la guerra a nosotros y que traerá Checa. Rusia y sus hermanas, y los países bálticos se unirán a él, y nadie se me va a ayudar porque estarán todos piensan que soy un - un del douchebag. _(If you do that then Slovakia will declare war on us and that will bring Czech with. Russia and his sisters, and the Baltics will join him, and no one will help me because they'll all think I'm a - a douchebag.)_"

"Entonces tal vez debería aprender a luchar, _(Then maybe you should learn to fight,)_" Spain's boss said. "Especialmente si usted no va a terminar su trabajo. _(Especially if you're not going to finish your work.)_"

Spain gritted his teeth and fisted his hair in frustration. Why were humans so _stupid_ sometimes? They always thought war solved the problem. Before he could say something he regretted, Spain grabbed the phone and slammed it down in the cradle, ending the call. No doubt he was going to hear about that tomorrow.

Whirling his chair around, Spain punched the wall hard. He both heard and felt the crack of his knuckles and he howled in pain, cradling his hand to his chest.

"You always did have a temper," a deep voice said from behind Spain and the nation froze, his heart pounding hard. He hadn't heard that voice in years but he would recognize it anywhere. Swallowing hard, Spain turned his chair around slowly.

"A-Algeria?" he asked in a bare whisper.

"Naam," Algeria said. He reclined in one of the wooden chairs on the other side of the desk, his elbows resting on the arms and his fingers steepled before him. He looked exactly as he had the last time Spain had seen him except for the three scars across his left eye.

Terror flooded Spain's stomach and he tightened the grip on his wrist. He could feel his own body screaming in protest at the treatment. But he couldn't pay attention to it, not with the rushing in his ears or the blood freezing in his veins. His eyes flicked around the room as he searched for an escape route.

"What is it that French bastard used to say?" Algeria asked as he watched Spain. "Ah, naam. A rabbit."

"Conejo, _(Rabbit,)_" Spain repeated softly, not paying attention to what he was saying. He drummed his fingers against his wrist, trying in vain to ignore both the growing pain in both his wrist and his head. "Conejito."

"Naam, un lapin," Algeria said with a slight smirk. "I can remember when I first met you. You were very small and hiding behind my sister." Spain could feel his lip trembling in fear. Algeria had been terrifying when he'd first met him, large and threatening. And then he'd wanted to spend a day with Spain. It was a day of which Spain had no memory. The pain in Spain's head had increased to a full-blown headache the nation couldn't ignore.

Algeria studied Spain quietly before leaning forward. "Let me see your hand," he said, holding out his own hands. When Spain shook his head, he repeated himself, enunciating every word carefully. "I said, give it to me." Trembling hard, Spain slowly offered his hand to the African nation.

Algeria took the hand in his own large pair. The moment their skin touched Spain could feel his headache grew worse. It was as if something was trying to escape from his skull. He watched as Algeria turned his hand over carefully, studying it.

"You have cracked your knuckles," Algeria finally said. "But they are not broken. You were lucky this time, Lapin."

"Please leave," Spain croaked, finally finding his voice. He yanked his hand free from Algeria with a painful jerk and clutched it to his chest again. "Now." The pain flared in his head, as though giving him a warning.

"Why do you want me to leave?" Algeria asked, not moving from his chair, though Spain saw him tense.

"You've come here to hurt me," Spain whispered. "J-Just like last time."

"That is not why you want me to leave," Algeria said, rising slowly from his chair. Spain shrank back in his chair fearfully. He barely had a moment to feel the breeze blow across the back of his neck before two pairs of hands seized him by the arms and shoved him forward out of the chair. He was slammed against the desk, pinned down in place by the strong hands.

"¿Qué estás haciendo? _(What are you doing?)_" Spain shouted helplessly, struggling against the hands holding in him place. "¿Quién es usted? _(Who are you?)_"

"I asked you why wanted me to leave," Algeria said slowly as he drew what looked like a rubber whip from his belt. "And you refused to tell me."

"¡Alto! _(Stop!)_" Spain shouted, shaking his head hard. He scrabbled at the desk with his good hands. Papers were sent flying across the room haphazardly. "¡Por favor! _(Please!)_" The headache, which had been in the front of his skull, had spread through his whole head.

Spain felt his pants legs being pushed up. A hand brushed down the smooth skin carefully before suddenly disappearing. Turning his head, Spain saw Algeria step back from him. His eyes widened at the sight of the rubber whip.

"Then answer me," Algeria said before there was a swish and pain erupted across the back of Spain's legs. "Why did you want me to leave?" Spain howled at both the pain in his legs and in his head. His head felt ready to explode the pain was so terrible. Spain keened, tears running down his cheeks.

"Make it go away," he begged. "¡Por favor!"

"Then answer me," Algeria said, bringing the rubber whip down once more, Spain howling at the pain. "Why did you want me to leave?" He watched as Spain's whole body tensed and the nation clenched his eyes shut. There was a moment of silence in the room before Spain relaxed and his eyes opened to reveal acidic green irises. The eyes shifted around the room, as if seeing it for the first time, finally landing on Algeria and filling with fear.

"We want you to leave," Conquistador whispered in a fearful tone. "Because you frighten us. You hurt us."

"Hello, Lioncaeu, _(Lion cub,)_" Algeria said, wrapping the whip up. There would be no need for the torture anymore, not with the docile personality free from its chains once more. Conquistador was quiet for several seconds before he finally spoke.

"Hola, Algeria," the alternate personality said. Algeria watched him flex his injured hand, his eyes moving down to it curiously. "He hurt us," the personality said.

"You hurt yourself," Algeria corrected. "Or should I say Lapin hurt you?" He had never been able to follow the mindset of Conquistador, only that it was extremely violent and all but impossible to control.

"He and we are one and the same," Conquistador told Algeria. "You may call him Lapin, but we will never have a name for him." His eyes flicked between Mauritanian and Niger, both nations looking nervous about this new situation.

"I see," Algeria said. He sat himself upon the arm of one of the chairs. "You say you want me to leave because I frighten you?" he asked.

"You frighten many people, Algeria," Conquistador told the African nation. "But us most of all. We will never forget what you did to us."

"Nor I," Algeria said. He stood and motioned to his brothers. "You answered my question, now we may leave." Mauritania and Niger relinquished their hold on Conquistador quickly. The alternate personality pushed himself upright, keeping his eyes downcast from Algeria.

"You will not hurt him?" he asked.

Algeria glanced over his shoulder. "I would never hurt what is mine," he said before leaving the room. He heard Niger urging the personality off the desk to follow them to the car. Algeria could still remember when Conquistador had been nothing more than a defensive mechanism of Spain. It had been content to attack only those who attempted to hurt Spain, allowing the nation to leave a peaceful life.

Algeria had been the one who destroyed that all.

* * *

A/N: _**What did you think? **_I hoped you liked it. _(Should we tell him we weren't talking to him again? _**No, it would just break his heart.)**

Miss Pollux._ Yes, Acirema? _Why are you hanging the noose you made from the ceiling?_ Because- _**She's decorating the office.** . . . Oh. It's not a very pretty decoration.** Yeah, don't worry, we're going to tie some flowers to it.** Can I help?** Sure! **_(I'll kill you, Castor! _**He's too cute not be innocent, so don't tell him about your plan. **_Fine!)_

_Andorra is controlled by both Spain and France. The co-princes are the president of France and Spanish bishop of Urgell. In WWI, Andorra declared war on Germany but never actually took part in the war. In WWII it stayed out but continued to be a hidden gateway between France and Spain for ammunition and the likes._

**Please bear with us with the Arabic. We're trying our best, but it's Google translate. :P**

_Castor and I like to talk about our characters a lot together. I was telling Dala about them one day and she commented that the way we talked about the nations it was as if they had just knocked on the door and told us their story. _**In a way, they did. **_You can thank Poland for that!_

_MARCO?!_


	5. Cuba

Disclaimer: _**We don't own Hetalia!**_

A/N:_** Hey, everyone.**_

**We're going to have to whisper. **_Acirema started asking questions about this chapter so we convinced him to play hide and seek with us. _**He's it right. **_Shh! Here he comes!_

_**Enjoy . . . please review. **__Shhh!_

* * *

**Cuba**

Algeria stood before one of the many plain steel doors lining the hallway. The surface was scratches slightly and there was even a dent from one of the former prisoners who had fought to escape Algeria's clutches. The room, once unoccupied, now held another prisoner, even more dangerous than the last.

Algeria knew Conquistador better than any other nation, having been the one to successfully break the personality. He knew what to expect when he walked into this room. Conquistador may have been calm and frightened when they had left Spain's house and on the entire of ride over, but now it was going to be different. The personality was locked up in shackles and a small room. He was going to feel like a caged animal and was therefore more likely to attack anyone, including Algeria himself.

Sighing through his nose, Algeria slipped the key into the lock above the doorknob and twisted it, opening the door. The room was dim, with only one light hanging from the ceiling, and bare except for the figure in the corner. Conquistador was right where Algeria had left him, his ankles and wrists locked in shackles connected to the walls. The personality watched the nation with fearful acidic green eyes.

Algeria shut the door behind himself and moved across the empty room, his footsteps echoing off the cement walls. He could feel the personality watching every move he made, calculating what he would do next. Crouching down to be level with the personality, Algeria stared at him. Conquistador had always been a wonder to him. How could such a carefree nation have such a violent personality? Wasn't Spain's mind full enough with his own personality? These and many other questions flitted through Algeria's mind whenever he saw Conquistador. Spain and Portugal had been the only nations anyone knew who suffered from multiple personalities they didn't even know about.

Conquistador shifted uneasily and Algeria was pulled out of his musings. He could see the personality's muscles tensing and quivering as his anxiety grew. It wouldn't be long before he snapped like a taut bowstring. The seconds ticked by before Conquistador moved in a flash.

Algeria had barely a moment to lean away from the swing Conquistador threw at him with his hand good before he was hit. Grabbing the offending wrist, Algeria slammed it to the floor and pinned it with his knee. He then grabbed Conquistador hard by the scruff and slammed his head into the tiles for good measure. The personality cried out in pain, struggling against Algeria's strong grip.

"You promised not to hurt him," Conquistador finally cried, the first words he'd said since he'd been brought to this room. "You promised.

"Naam," Algeria said before releasing Conquistador and sitting back on his heel. "That I did." He watched as the personality remained huddled on the floor, a sobbing mess.

"You hurt him," Conquistador sobbed into the floor. "You hurt us? Why? You had your fun all those years ago, now be done with us."

"Because you need to learn," Algeria said. He ignored Conquistador's tearful glare.

"We have learned all we can from you," Conquistador said. "You are a beast, uncaring and violet to those around you. You will destroy yourself in the end."

Algeria clenched his jaw, trying to maintain his temper. It would do no good to attack Conquistador now. His goal was to try and keep Conquistador calm, maybe even gain a firmer grip on the personality.

"Will I?" Algeria finally asked in a steady voice. "Or will I rise to the top where those filthy pigs stay?" Conquistador's glare intensified before he turned and hid his face in his arms.

"Leave us," the personality said, his voice a hushed whisper. "We do not want to see your face. Keep us chained if you wish, but leave us be to die in misery." The words stung Algeria.

"I do not want you to die," he said, reaching out to smooth Conquistador's hair back. He watched the personality's shoulders tense once more. "You are my nephew."

"Do not relate us to you," Conquistador suddenly hissed at him, and Algeria withdrew his hands quickly as the personality revealed his furious face. "Do not relate him or us to you. We will never all you near him."

Algeria frowned at the words. He felt his hand clench into a fist and, before he knew what he was doing, he punched Conquistador hard across the face, the personality's head jerking with the force. Seizing Conquistador by the throat, Algeria slammed him against eh wall hard, pinning him there. He leaned forward to speak in Conquistador's ear.

"You," Algeria said dangerously. "Are my nephew, and you cannot change that."

"We want nothing to do with you," Conquistador sobbed into the wall. "You hurt us. You hurt him. No uncle should treat a nephew so."

"That was a different age," Algeria said. His face softened and he released Conquistador, the personality sliding back down to the floor. "When I rise to power you and your brother shall be next to me. You will be my nephews and nations will work to make you happy." He watched as Conquistador leaned away from him and into the safety of his corner. "I believe your brother is in Iceland, naam?" Algeria asked gently. "Perhaps Portugal will be happier to see me than you are."

Conquistador stiffened at the words, his eyes flicking to Algeria and then to the wall. His chin lowered and his hair fell into his eyes. Algeria narrowed his eyes. He knew this body language very well. Either Conquistador was lying or he wasn't telling Algeria something. No matter, Algeria always got what he wanted in the end.

"What is it you wish to tell me, nephew?" Algeria asked. He used a finger to tile Conquistador's chin up.

"We have nothing to tell you," Conquistador said softly. His eyes were fixed on a point beside Algeria's head, deliberately avoiding looking at the nation.

"You do not wish to tell me?" Algeria asked, moving his hand away and allowing Conquistador's head to fall back to his chest. "Your own uncle?"

"We told you," Conquistador said. He wrapped his arms around his torso and rocked back forth. "You are not our uncle. There is no one in the world for us but him, and he does not know about us."

Algeria sighed and straightened up, his knees popping with the movement. Conquistador was moving into his inane babble stage. The personality would be impossible to cope with if he was left alone like this, and Algeria had one way to fix this problem as he had in the past.

"You will have to learn, Lionceau," Algeria said darkly to the rocking personality. "I am your uncle and you will be forced to accept it." He watched as Conquistador's rocking increased and the personality shook his head hard.

"Nothing to do with you," he muttered, as though to himself. "She would help us. He trusts her and so must we. They come out when we come out so we must like her."

"I do not know what you mean," Algeria said. Reaching down, he unlocked Conquistador's shackles with a key. "Perhaps after this you will know better than to spew nonsense." He saw the terror in Conquistador's eyes and the personality grabbed his wrist with a good hand.

"We speak of them!" the personality screeched desperately. "We speak of them!"

"Speak of who, dear nephew?" Algeria said, grabbing Conquistador roughly by the scruff and dragging him to the center of the room. There was a U-shaped metal pipe cemented into the ground there with a leash and collar attached to. Locking the collar around Conquistador's neck, Algeria stepped back. He drew a rubber whip from his belt.

"We speak of them!" Conquistador continued to screech. He grabbed his hair and rocked back and forth hard, sobbing. "We speak of her and them, the one and the same. They are like us. Your nephew. You niece."

"My nephew?" Algeria repeated, pausing in the action of raising his arm. "My niece?" The words made no sense to him. But Conquistador didn't answer. He only shook his head and whining in the back of his throat.

Furious, Algeria raised his arm once more and brought the whip down hard with a whistle and a _slap_ against Conquistador's back.

"I have no niece," he said, drawing the whip back once more. And that was his greatest mistake, standing too close to a chained beast.

Conquistador, in a fit of terror, whirled around and closed his strong jaws around the African nation's leg. Algeria roared in pain and surprise before bringing a fist down hard on Conquistador's head. It did nothing to stop the personality who only adjusted his grip, his sharp teeth hitting a tender muscle in the calf. Cursing in Arabic, Algeria raised his whip once more and brought it down hard on Conquistador's back. The personality yelped and released Algeria's leg in surprise. He scuttled as far away as the leash would let him, his hands scrabbling against the cement floor. His acid green eyes were filled with a wild, uncontrolled terror.

Algeria raised the whip again, his face a mask of rage, and was about to bring it down when the room's door opened to reveal Tunisia. There was a moment of the small nation looking between Conquistador and Algeria before Tunisia spoke in a quivering voice.

"Brother," he said. "It is time for you to be leaving." Glancing at Conquistador, Algeria took a steadying breath and nodded.

"Naam," he said. "I cannot miss the flight." He then turned and hurried from the room, glancing at the food tray in Tunisia's hands. He hoped his brother remembered to stay away from Conquistador. The last time someone had been foolish enough to go near the personality in this state it had taken two and a half hours to pull Conquistador off the poor fool.

Algeria had reached the end of the hall when he heard a howl and the sound of a plate hitting the wall and clattering to the floor. Breaking Conquistador the first time had been hard enough, breaking him the second time would be even harder.

o-o-{ }-o-o

Iceland sat against an alleyway, inhaling and exhaling slowly as he tried to calm down. He could hear his people passing the mouth of the alley as they went about their daily business. At least none of them were approaching him. Iceland didn't need any more of his citizens because they saw their country with fox ears and a tail. On top of that, Iceland was pretty sure there was smoke coming out of his ears, judging by how hot his head felt.

There was a thump on Iceland's left side before a plastic bag was rustled in his face.

"Black licorice?" Bauhinia offered innocently, shaking the bag again. Thanks to Iceland spoiling her with sweets, she had an affinity to black licorice, something Hong Kong abhorred. Iceland looked down at his adopted daughter and blinked in confusion.

"Hvað?" he asked.

"Black licorice," Bauhinia said. She shook the bag for a third time. "I also have hákarl if you want some." She pulled another bag out of her sweatshirt pocket and popped a piece of fermented shark into her mouth. "Yum!" Yet something else Hong Kong despised her daughter loved. Iceland blinked again and looked between the bags. Sometimes he just couldn't understand Bauhinia's thought process. She was destructive at best and confusing at worst.

"If you don't want any," Bauhinia said nonchalantly. "Then I'll just east all of it and get sick, and then my teeth will rot out." She popped another piece of hákarl into her mouth followed quickly by black licorice. Iceland slowly the bag of black licorice away from Bauhinia and popped a piece into his mouth,

"How did you find me?" he eventually asked, wondering if maybe his adopted daughter had been stalking him . . . again.

"Because one time I got bored and walked all the way around the island until I had it all memorized," Bauhinia said. Iceland stared at her in shock, his mouth gaping, until she spoke again. "Māmā stalked you on the roof like a ninja."

"_Of course she did,"_ Iceland thought to himself.

"Ninjas are Japanese," Hong Kong's voice carried down from the roof directly above Iceland and Bauhinia. "And they're dishonorable." Bauhinia just shrugged and ate another piece of hákarl. Iceland glanced up at the roof, a chuckle bubbling out of his chest.

"Why am I not surprised?" he muttered. "Of course she would follow me."

"Māmā loves you a lot," Bauhinia said, ignoring Hong Kong's muttering. "Sometimes she says or does something in the heat of the moment and then she regrets it later. Like when she ate all those berries and started - ."

"Don't you dare tell that story!"

"Are you going to come down?" Iceland called up to Hong Kong. "Bauhinia will go on another story rampage if you don't." He waited patiently for a moment before Hong Kong leaped nimbly down from the roof, landing before him. She smiled sheepishly while fiddling with the Bauhinia pin in her hair.

"Duìbùqǐ," she apologized to her boyfriend.

Bauhinia snuck a piece of black licorice from Iceland before mashing it up with a piece of hákarl, popping them both into her mouth at once. Iceland took the bag of hákarl away from his adopted daughter.

"Stop that," he said. "You're going to poison yourself."

"But they're yummy separate," Bauhinia said through a mouthful of hákarl. Hong Kong made a face at her manners. "So they have to be yummy together."

"Sometimes I worry about your logic," Hong Kong told her daughter before seating herself against the wall across from Iceland. "And your manners. Teacher would be ashamed of you."

"Denmark must have taught them to her," Iceland said with a sigh. Trust his older brother to make one of the most immature Asian nation disrespectful and manner-less.

"Uncle Denmark likes to buy me present," Bauhinia said, fiddling with Nordic bracelet around her wrist. "He bought me lots of fireworks last week."

"So that's where you got them from," Hong Kong said thoughtfully. "I thought I had confiscated your entire stock."

Iceland frowned at the ground, thinking hard. If Bauhinia had acquired more fireworks from Denmark then that meant they were somewhere on his island just waiting to explode. He looked up at Hong Kong.

"Under the porch?" he guessed. Bauhinia just giggled happily.

"In the chimney?" Hong Kong added. She carded her fingers through her hair as she thought hard. "Or maybe even in the pipes. She did that one year in the world meeting, remember?" Bauhinia's giggling quieted down and she made a face, rubbing her stomach.

"How can I forget?" Iceland said. He pushed himself upright quickly, jamming his hat onto his head and stuffing the bags of treats into his pockets. "I'll take the bottom floor, you take the top." Best to find the fireworks now rather than later. Hong Kong stood, dusting off the seat of her pants.

"We'll have to move quickly," Hong Kong agreed. "If it's anything like last time, she's learned how to put it on an electric fuse. Bauhinia, you need to come with us," she told her daughter. It was no use to have the small nation loose in Iceland's home.

"Hákarl and black licorice aren't yummy together," Bauhinia said, now extremely pale in the face. "I was wrong." And with that she leaned over and threw up. Hong Kong swore in Chinese and Iceland groaned, massaging his temples.

"Fjandinn," he swore before helping Bauhinia to her feet and supporting his daughter. "We get her to bed," he told Hong Kong. "And then we tear the house apart."

"Agreed," Hong Kong said again. She grabbed Bauhinia's other arm and carefully began to walk her daughter out of the alleyway with Iceland. "Bauhinia, where are the fireworks?" she tried.

"Hidden," Bauhinia giggled before making a face and spitting on the ground. "Yucky."

Iceland sighed to himself. "Tear the house apart," he said. "Definitely."

"She does this every time," Hong Kong muttered.

"We need to place laws in her land," Iceland said. "Outlawing all fireworks and firecrackers." He ignored the stares they were getting as they trooped down the street. Some of his people muttered sympathetically when they saw Bauhinia's pale face.

"Bù, that's not fair," Bauhinia whined with a shake of her head. "They're so pretty when they explode. And sometimes you all do funny things."

"Like when you set Sweden's pants on fire?" Hong Kong asked, and Bauhinia giggled before nodding again. Iceland looked at his daughter before looking back to Hong Kong.

"I blame you," he said.

"I'm not the one who get so drunk on New Year I can't walk straight," Hong Kong retorted as they turned down a street toward Iceland's house.

"Denmark did it!" Iceland protested. "Not me!" Though he did know his people were known for partying hard on New Year's Eve.

"I like being Icelandic," Bauhinia suddenly said. She laid her head on Iceland's shoulder. "And Chinese and Indonesian, because then I have a fun family." Iceland stopped, causing Hong Kong to stumble back, and stared at Bauhinia in confusion for a moment. Both he and Hong Kong jumped in surprise when something gave a shrieking whistle and a firework exploded over the city. The colors were hardly seen against the setting sun.

"Uh oh," Hong Kong said. She watched more fireworks erupt into the air with horrifyingly loud whistles and explode in vibrant colors of green, blue, and purple. "Bauhinia, you are so dead when we get back to the hotel."

"Bada bing bada boom," Bauhinia said happily.

o-o-{ }-o-o

The bar beside the hotel was a favorite hangout place for the Icelanders on the weekend, especially the younger adults. The lights were dimmed to the point you could barely see your neighbor and bass was so loud it vibrated through the walls. The nations loved it. They could lose themselves in the dancing bustle of the club and just be their human selves for once. Several of the nations were nursing well-earned drinks after having lost arguments with others.

Prussia and France were among these nations drinking. Neither of them had lost an argument, unless you counted the one France'd had with England about going to see the doctor. His wife was growing increasingly sick every morning and so was France's worry. The two friends were watching some of the young female adults of Iceland talk and giggle loudly.

"I have never missed flirting with women since I married Angleterre," France told his good friend. He smiled politely when one of the giggling women winked at him. "I cannot explain it."

"Ja, I know what you mean," Prussia said over the pounding music. "Being hitched with South has given me more in my life than any one night stand." He took a large swallow of his beer and made a satisfied sound. No war victory had ever felt as good as when South smiled at him in that special way that radiated Southern warmth.

Prussia and France were hardly surprised when one of the women, extremely drunk by the way she stumbled to their table, leaning against Prussia, laughing sheepishly at him.

"Talar þú íslensku? _(Do you speak Icelandic?)_" she practically screamed into Prussia's ear, trying to be heard over the music.

"Ich spreche Deutsch, Frau! _(I speak German, woman!)_" Prussia roared back. The bass pounding song ended, only to be replaced by an even louder one.

"Ég skil þig ekki, _(I don't understand you,)_" the young woman shrieked. "Hvað er nafn þitt? _(What is your name?)_"

"Gehe flirten mit jemand anderem, _(Go flirt with someone else,)_" Prussia shouted back. France was howling with laughter by, his hands banging on the table. "Ich bin verheiratet. _(I'm married!)_" Prussia kicked France hard, the Romantic nation yelping in surprise before glaring at him. The young woman didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary between these two friends.

"Ma chère, _(My dear,)_" France said to the young woman as he pried her fingers from his friend's arm. Prussia shook his arm thankfully to get the blood flowing again. "Perhaps you should return to vos amis. _(your friends.)_ Aren't they worried about you?"

"Koma á, _(Come on,)_" the young woman wailed to Prussia, latching onto his arm again and ignoring his furious shouts. "Dansa við mig! _(Dance with me!)_" And Prussia found himself dragged away by this surprisingly strong and very drunk girl onto the dance floor.

"Nein!" Prussia shouted, trying to pull his hand from the young woman's grip. "Nein! Ich bin verheiratet! Ich bin verheiratet!" He looked to France helplessly but his friend just laughed at him, waving his hand flamboyantly, before ordering another drink for himself.

The young woman laughed at something her friends shouted to her and shrieked it back to Prussia who couldn't understand a word she was saying over the pounding bass. When the young woman turned back around it was to find her path blocked by a dark-haired, dark-eyed nation. His laughing eyes crinkled at the sight of Prussia being dragged around by a human.

"What are you doing here?" Prussia asked Albania over the music. The other European nation motioned to the glasses of whiskey in his hands.

"Coming for a drink," Albania said before turning to the confused young woman. "Halló, falleg, _(Hello, beautiful,)_" he said in Icelandic, giving her a sly grin. The young woman blinked in confusion at the charm used on nations when Albania was stealing something from them.

"Gjon," Prussia said suspiciously, sure he knew where this escapade was going. Out of the corner of his eye he saw France standing alert, ready to jump in if the need arose.

"Halló," the young woman said to Albania, tightening her grip on Prussia's arm, Prussia making a face while she did this. Albania's eyes skimmed over the young woman and her forced partner, his eyes crinkling even more as he smiled wider.

"Þú vilt hann ekki, treystu mér, _(You don't want him, trust me,)_" Albania shouted to woman as he tried to be heard over the music. "Hann er með vandamál þarna niðri. _(He's got problems down there.)_" The young woman looked back to Prussia before making a face and releasing his arm to stumble back to female friends. They screamed back and forth in Icelandic until finally erupting into shrieks of laughter.

"Danke, Albania," Prussia said to the other nation. He rubbed his arm, wondering what Albania had said to the young woman to make her let go of him. "But what did you tell them?"

"You really don't want to know," Albania said. He made his way with Prussia back to France who was relaxing against the wall once m0re, sipping on his wine. "Trust me." The glasses of whiskey in his hands were plunked down on the table before Prussia and France. Prussia gave the thieving nation one more suspicious glance before he accepted the whiskey and downed it one gulp. France, out of politeness, took careful sips of the strong alcohol. He was never one for anything stronger than wine.

"I wonder what she liked about you," Albania said conversationally. "That she refused to let you go."

"Probably my awesomeness," Prussia said with a smirk. "Come on, Francey-Pants, down it!" France made a face at his friend before knocking back the whole drink, shuddering as it burned his throat.

"Horrible," he said, his accent thickened by the alcohol.

"I know someone who'd like your awesomeness," Albania told Prussia, his eyes twinkling with laughter. "All five meters." Prussia froze in mid-_kesesese_ and stared at Albania in shock.

"You _didn't_?" he finally croaked.

"Mon ami!" France said through his laughs. Prussia glared at him before kicking him once more. "That is low!"

"Believe me," Albania said as he leaned forward. "Something is going to start low pretty soon." France stopped laughing and gaped at him. He and Prussia looked to each other before setting down their drinks and hurrying out of the club faster than Albania could say 'have fun'.

A hand landed on Albania's shoulder. "What did you do to them?" Vietnam asked curiously. She had no drink in her hand and her clothes clearly shouted 'not interested'.

"It's just a bit of yohimbe," Albania said before taking a sip of his own whiskey. "In a couple of minutes one of them is going to have a very annoyed wife and the other is going to be very lonely."

Vietnam just hummed at that before leaning forward to peck Albania on the cheeks. "What did I tell you about doing stuff like that?" she said to her husband.

"That it gets me in trouble," Albania said, setting his drink aside on the table. He leaned against the table and looked to his wife with a quirked eyebrow. She was _good_. "How much time do I have?" he asked.

"Oh, about a minute and a half," Vietnam said with a smirk as she wiped her lips clean with a napkin. "And there's a little surprise in it for when you wake up." She winked at her husband in a rather frightening way before turning around. "And I won't even be there to take care of you."

"What the ferr did you think I did for five thousand years?" Albania shouted, drawing attention to himself. Vietnam gave him a disgusted look over her shoulder.

"Who said you weren't going to wake up chained to a bed?" she said. "Besides, you're being gross right now."

Albania rolled his eyes and turned back to the table. "Five thousand years of abstinence," he muttered to himself, lifting his whiskey back to his lips. "And she thinks I can't handle an aphrodisiac."

"Oh, you're not ready for this one," Albania heard his wife say over his shoulder. "I made sure to do my homework. You'll be a bit uncomfortable for the rest of the night and maybe even into the afternoon tomorrow."

"Nice try," Albania said. He took another sip of whiskey, pausing and lowering the glass back to the table. Licking his lips, he looked thoughtful for a moment. "Nope," he said, setting the glass fully on the table. "There it is." He heard Vietnam's rare laugh as he made his way out of the club and toward the hotel next door, bumping into someone on his way out.

"Easy there," Germany said, grabbing Albania by the shoulders to stop him from falling over. He looked over the other nation critically. "Have you had too much to drink?" Germany asked. "Never mind, I was hoping we would have the chance to talk about our importing and exporting."

"I don't really have time for that," Albania said slowly. His predicament was slowly growing harder to hide.

"There won't be time later," Germany said. He wrapped an arm around Albania's shoulder and turned the nation around. "Come on, I'll buy you a round of drinks while we talk." Giving up, he looked skyward and sighed.

"Well, China _did_ tie me to a chair and pump me full one time."

"What are you talking about?" Germany asked Albania in confusion. He froze when England's voice carried around the corner as she spoke to France.

"I really hope that's a roll of quarters in your pocket," England was saying. "And that you're not happy to see me." Germany froze, his eyes narrowing. Albania gave him a nervous chuckle.

"What did you do?" Germany growled.

"I just thanked Prussia and France for the Playboy they put in my suitcase," Albania said innocently. "And my wife thanked me for marrying her." He watched as Germany tried his best not to look down.

"You have got to be kidding me?" the serious nation said.

"I would go find your brother before Switzy or Austria do," Albania told Germany. "I don't doubt he's missing his wife right now."

"And you're coming with me," Germany said, and before he could protest Albania found himself being dragged into the lobby of the hotel. Germany grabbed a throw pillow on the way to the stairs and shoved it at Albania. "And hide that, there're children here."

"Easier said than done, my friend," Albania said.

Germany glared at him before dragging the other nation up the stairs and to his brother's hotel room. He opened the door to see Prussia handcuffed to the headboard of the nearest bed. There was a pillow across the ex-nation's lap and a grumpy look on his face. Prussia's eyebrows furrowed even more at the sight of Albania.

"What did you do, Prussia?" Germany asked with a groan. "How did you manage to handcuff yourself to the bed?"

"I didn't do it," Prussia protested. "Apparently _vati_ doesn't want his precious son doing naughty things." He shook the handcuffs for emphasis, shaking the headboard in the process. "I thought you had all of Russia's pockets searched."

"Ja, I did," Germany said as he shoved Albania toward the second bed in the hotel room. "I guess he found a way."

Albania's hands were situated to the headboard of the bed and handcuffed by Germany. His pockets were searched thoroughly and Germany even checked his mouth for a key before he stepped away, apparently satisfied.

"Hey, Germany," Albania said before Germany could leave to find France. "Do you want to know a secret?"

"From you?" Germany asked with a sigh. "Nein, not really. You've already unlocked yourself, haven't you?" Germany wouldn't have been surprised if that had already happened.

"Jo," Albania said, shaking his head. "But I can whisper it to you where I hid the key."

"You'll just steals something form me," Germany said as he crossed his arms. Prussia grumbled to himself and yanked at his hands again. "Why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't!"

"I guess you don't want to hear what Poland told me she thinks of you," Albania said with a sigh. "And it was so juicy too." He watched Germany contemplate his words before the Germanic nation slowly made his way back to him.

"What is it?" Germany asked.

"This," Albania said, and he darted forward to press his lips against Germany's. Germany's eyes widened in surprise and he stumbled back quickly.

"Gott verdammt!" he roared as Prussia proceeded to cuss Albania out in German. "What did you do that for?"

"Vietnam's right," Albania said to no one in particular. "That's some pretty strong stuff. I'd go and find your wife if I were you," he told Germany who raced from the room. Prussia glared at Albania.

"You're an arschloch," Prussia told him. "Why did you drug France's and my drinks?"

"To thank you for the Playboy," Albania said. And then Prussia said something that made his stomach sink.

"What Playboy?"

Lifting his head, he looked to see Prussia's thoroughly confused face. He let his head fall back onto the pillow.

"Well, my friend," he said. "You are in for a long night. I have five thousand years of practice."

"What Playboy?" Prussia pressed, still confused. "France and I were talking to South and the kids on speakerphone last night. We couldn't have been anywhere near your room."

"Lovely," Albania said with a sigh. "And I'm guessing an apology won't work?"

"Nein," Prussia said. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "This is going to be worse than the Iron Curtain."

"Really?" Albania said curiously. "I thought it was kind of nice. You guys were so busy yelling at each other none of you noticed what I was stealing." Prussia glared at him for that.

"You're an arschloch," he said again before hunkering down on the bed. "We need America right now. He once bailed France, Spain, and I out of jail after we were arrested we went streaking through Time Square on New Year's Eve."

"Now that's just wrong!"

o-o-{ }-o-o

Tobago, North Korea, and Trinidad were waiting for the hurricane to hit in Tobago's house. The smaller island nation had refused to leave his home after inviting North Korea in, stating it was far too dangerous to sail in this weather back to his brother's house. North Korea was wondering if Tobago was regretting his decision now.

Tobago was following his taller brother around the sitting room as Trinidad examined everything. He took the vase from Trinidad's hands and placed it carefully back on the mantel. When his brother picked up a picture frame, he deftly took that away as well. All the while listening to Trinidad ramble on about the latest futbol game.

"And then it was like _boom_!" Trinidad said, tossing a decorative glass orb into the air and catching it in the other hand. "And the crowds were screaming, Man, it was awesome. Ya should have been there, brother."

"I was there, brother," Tobago said in a bored tone. "You swung your hand so hard you hit me in the forehead and knocked me out."

"I did?" Trinidad asked with a frown quickly replaced by a laugh. He tossed the glass orb behind his back and over his shoulder. "Sorry about that, brother." Tobago caught the orb in the next throw and set it back down on the side table.

"I never really cared for futbol, anyway," he said with a shrug.

"But it's so much fun," Trinidad said. He fell onto the couch beside a reading North Korea and wrapped an arm around the unfortunate Asian nation. "Don't you think so, North Korea?"

"I never really cared for sports," North Korea told Trinidad. "It is all rather boring, ez-ad." He turned a page in his book, ignoring Trinidad's horrified look.

Sighing, Tobago moved to open the sitting room's cupboard and took a small ball from it. He offered the toy to Trinidad.

"How many times can you kick this against the wall and not miss?" he asked.

"One hundred and fifty times," Trinidad said quickly, jumping to his feet and grabbing the ball. He turned around and looked back over his shoulder. "Do I have ta do this outside in the wind?"

"Just don't break anything in here," Tobago said. "I don't want a ball bouncing off everything."

"Sure thing, brother!" Trinidad said excitedly. North Korea watched him flounce to a bare wall and begin to kick the ball. Trinidad masterfully caught the ball with his foot on its way back and kicked it right back to the wall. This continued on for a good five minutes, during which North Korea was growing more agitated at the sound of the ball hitting the wall, before something silver flashed past Tobago and leapt onto the ball happily.

"STEELPAN!"

Steelpan barked happily at Trinidad as he chewed on the rubber ball, slobbering the entire surface of it. His tail thumped back and forth against the floor happily. North Korea was still staring at a single point in the air, wondering if he was seeing an imprint of Steelpan from the dog having run too fast.

"Come on, Steelpan," Trinidad coaxed. "Give back the ball, buddy." He leaned down to take the rubber ball from his dog but Steelpan froze, his jaws keeping a tight grip on the ball, and his tail movements slowed.

"Come on, Steelpan," Trinidad said again. "Give it back. Come on, buddy," he cooed. He had just barley grabbed the ball from between Steelpan's jaws when the great dog suddenly released the toy and pounced on Trinidad instead. "STEELPAN!"

Tobago, growing ever more bored with his brother's antics, glanced outside when a particularly strong gust of wind rattled the windows.

"I hope you don't mind large beds," Tobago said to North Korea conversationally. "Brother insisted I have a king-sized bed for the guest bedroom." Trinidad would have argued with his brother had it not been for the seventy kilograms of dog sitting on his chest.

"It is fine, ez-ad," North Korea said assuredly. He watched Steelpan happily continue to clean Trinidad's face. The island nation seemed to be growing more agitated by the second with his dog.

"Off, Steelpan," Trinidad ordered. When Steelpan didn't immediately obey, he roared at the top of his voice, "OFF, NOW!" Steelpan gave a great whimper and raced away from his master to hide behind the couch, whining. Trinidad wiped his face as he sat up. North Korea was surprised to see a serious expression on his face.

"We could still get a ferry back to my house," Trinidad told Tobago.

"Don't be ridiculous, brother," Tobago said with a wave of his hand. "The waves are too high for anyone to drive the ferry right now."

"Not for me," Trinidad said, and he looked as though he meant it. North Korea frowned at the brother's niggling. In his two years of knowing the siblings, he'd never seen Trinidad care about what Tobago said or his temperament.

"It is for me," Tobago said softly. "It's much too windy out there for me." That seemed to quell Trinidad's annoying demands.

"Alright," Trinidad said. He laid back down on the floor and spread his arms wide. "Come at me!" Steelpan gave a great joyful bark before he pounced on his master again, Trinidad laughing hard at the treatment. Tobago just sighed.

Rising from the couch, North Korea moved to look out the window. He swallowed hard the sight of the wind surging through the trees. Tobago stepped closer to him, crossing his arms tightly across his chest.

"I have never liked typhoons," North Korea said softly. "They frighten me a bit, ez-ad." He could still remember the time he had never been prepared for the natural disasters or had aid for them due to his isolation. He always worried about how he was going to take care of his people now.

"They are horrible," Tobago agreed. "They tear everything apart and leave me with nothing in the end."

Watching the wind was becoming too terrifying a prospect for North Korea and he turned around to see Trinidad standing behind both males, a serious look on his face once more. The taller nation stepped forward and wrapped an arm around both Tobago and North Korea, pulling them close to his chest. North Korea was both surprised and touched by the action. He had never made his feelings clear with the siblings before, and yet Trinidad still treated him kindly.

"Ya'll both be alright," Trinidad said softly as Steelpan danced around the trio happily. "Ya'll do just fine."

"The hurricane should come sometimes tomorrow," Tobago said absently. "If we're lucky it'll just turn around."

"Then let's just pray it does," Trinidad said. He tightened his grip on the nations in his arms. Steelpan gave one more great bark before flopping down on the floor for a nap.

o-o-{ }-o-o

Algeria had visited nearly every country in the world his, well, job, for lack of a better word. He'd been to countries as large as America and Russia all the way to countries like Andorra and Liechtenstein. And yet, in his many years of traveling, he had never once been to Iceland. The island nation of fire and ice had held an appeal to him in prior years but no longer. His eyes were set on the nations that had more to offer in his opinion.

Stopping in his tracks, Algeria looked around himself at the bustling mid-morning street. None of the Icelanders gave him a second glance expect to greet him. Algeria supposed it must have been the world meeting that was going on in their land. They probably thought he and his brothers were more nations for the meeting.

"I believe it is that one," Niger said softly to Algeria, pointing ahead of them. Algeria followed his finger to a tall building. The architectural design was of Greek revival, with large doming arches and false marble.

The three African nations made their way into the hotel lobby. Algeria was surprised to find barely any nations in the large space. Nearly all the visitors present were humans, some Icelandic and others clearly tourists.

"Do you remember what he looks like?" Niger finally asked his older brother.

"I remember well, brother," Algeria said. "It would be wise for you to so as well." Niger made a sound of agreement before speaking again.

"I would think he would be awake by now," he said. "Portugal never was one to sleep late."

"He always wanted to beat Spain," Mauritania agreed. "I remember when he was training hard to be able to defeat Spain in battle."

"That is enough," Algeria said harshly, and his brothers fell silent. "We need to find him and leave before the other pigs wake up."

He scanned the lobby once more for any hint of a nation. The room, feeling dry as a desert for any of that familiarity a nation could feel to another, was lit up by a single flower. Algeria's eyes zoned in on her. She was young and small, clearly a European nation, pouring over a book. Her blonde hair had been braided back into pigtails and she wore a black skirt with a green blouse.

Drawn to this exotic flower in the desert, Algeria found himself stepping toward the oblivious girl. He froze, though, when an olive-skinned woman stepped up behind the younger nation.

"Tcheca?" the woman said warmly. "What you doing?" Algeria blinked in confusion when he heard the foreign word. The way it was spoken sounded so familiar to him, but he couldn't place it.

"I'm reading," the girl, Tcheca said, showing the woman her book. "Big Brother found me Harry Potter in Czech so I could read it." Algeria thought through the words. Czech . . . so that must have meant the Czechoslovakia he once met was no longer alive. And Algeria started wondering to himself where the other half of the former country was. A pair could be quite successful on the market.

"Ei," the woman said with a shrug, knocking Algeria out of his thoughts. "He lame. He no fight in war."

"Big Brother is brave," Tcheca said with a shake of her head, her pigtails swinging back and forth. "He never gave up, even when everyone else pushed him down. I don't think Big Brother will ever give up." She looked around the lobby curiously, as if remembering something. "Is he still asleep?" she asked the woman behind her. "I heard Big Sister say he drank too much."

"He wake up," the woman assured Tcheca. "Phone go off somewhere in the room." Tcheca smiled at her before hopping of the couch.

"Will you please tell Big Brother I am going with Andorra, Bauhinia, and Liechtenstein into town, Portugal?" Algeria blinked at the girl's words. He looked between the woman and the young girl. Portugal and Czech. What were they doing together?

"Sim," Portugal said, patting Czech on the head. "You go, I tell him. You no do bad stuff."

"Děkuji, _(Thank you,)_" Czech said to Portugal before she dashed out of the lobby. Portugal watched her leave then glanced at her watched and sighed. Turning, she headed for the elevator.

"Follow her," Algeria said quickly. Niger nodded and followed the confusingly female nation while staying out of sight at the same time.

Heading for the stairs, Algeria and Mauritania flew up the stairs. They reached the third floor in time to see Portugal disappear into a room. Niger was standing right outside, waiting patiently for his brothers. The smaller African nation stopped the door from closing with a hand.

"Ei!" Algeria head Portugal's voice carry out of the room. "You wake up!"

"Sakramentsky!" came a furious shout in Slovak before being followed by a groan. "Turn the lights off, Portugal."

Algeria licked his lips at the new language. He'd located the second half of Czechoslovakia, all he needed was the little girl and he could demand as high a price as he wanted. Shaking his head, he tried to get rid of the idea. He was here to collect Portugal and that was it.

"Não!" Portugal was saying. "You wake up!"

Algeria and Mauritania tiptoed their way to the door as Niger pushed it open slightly. They could see a man lying on the hotel bed with his head under the pillow. He was shouting at Portugal in Slovakia accompanied by rude hand gestures. Portugal grabbed a nearby pillow and chucked it at the man.

"You talk to sister after you wake up," she snapped at him. "She no come out of room. It nine!"

"Fine," the man groaned as he sat up, the pillow falling from his head, and massaged his temples. "But I'm hung over, so give me a bit of time to get ready."

"Sim, sim," Portugal said with a wave of his head as she headed into the bathroom. "I wait for you."

"Jemný, _(Fine,)_" the man said again. He stood up and ruffled his hair with a hand. Algeria cast an appraising eye at the half-dressed man.

He was built strong like Russia yet lithe like Hungary. His blond hair spiked up in a more controlled way than Denmark or Netherlands'. It was the scar, though, Algeria noticed the most. It was jagged, running through the man's right eye, down his face, and even all the way down the right side of his chest. Algeria finally understood. Czechoslovakia hadn't died, he'd been apart.

The man finally opened his harsh blue eyes and froze at the sight of Algeria standing in his hotel room. He was quiet for several seconds, giving Niger and Mauritania the chance to slip in behind their brother, shutting the door and dead bolting it.

"Merhaban," Algeria said to the man whose eyes were wandering across the three African nations. He saw the nation tense, his arm falling form his hair.

"Who are you?" the man growled, his accent thickened by the amount of drink he'd had.

"I am Algeria," Algeria told the man. "Who are you?" He was doing it for pleasantries, trying to convince the nation he knew nothing about him. It had worked for him before and he'd had marvelous results.

"Like I would tell you," the man sneered. "How can you not know? Do you live under a rock or something?"

"I have not left home in a long time," Algeria said, taking careful steps forward. He could no longer hear movement from within the bathroom. He nodded to Niger and Mauritania. Both nations strode forward, taking position near the man. The man's eyes flicked between Algeria and the bathroom door before his eyes narrowed.

"You leave her alone," he snarled, bending his knees slightly. "What did she ever do to you?"

"You do not know?" Algeria said. "Portugal is my nephew."

"Where have you been for the last twenty-two years?" the man snorted. "Portugal is a she. We've been married for nearly twelve years now."

Algeria's eyebrows rose at that. "You married her?" That explained Portugal's attitude around this man.

"Surprised?" the man sneered. Algeria was liking him less and less. "So was everyone else. They all said she only married because she thought she could break me. They're all a bunch of morons, though."

"You say you cannot be broken?" Algeria asked. The man glared at him.

"Get out," he growled. "I don't care if you're a nation or about why you're here, but get out. You're invading our privacy."

"If you want us to," Algeria said, raising his hands in defeat. "We will not bother you any longer." Turning around, he motioned for Niger to follow him. He had heard Mauritania sneak away in the middle of his conversation with the man.

Slovakia waited until the African nations had left before he marched across the room and slammed the door, locking the deadbolt and pulling the chain across. Hurrying to the bathroom, he knocked on the door.

"Portugal," he said through the door. "Who's Algeria?" He heard the rustle of fabric and an unfamiliar clinking sound.

"Corra, seu bastardo! _(Run, you bastard!)_" Portugal shrieked back through the wood, and Slovakia's eyes widened. That African bastard must have found a way to sneak up on Portugal when he wasn't looking. He backed away from the bathroom door.

"Portugal!" he roared, charging at the door and ramming into it with his shoulder. The door broke open to reveal Portugal sitting against the wall, her hands and feet locked in shackles.

"Portugal!" Slovakia said again. He hurried forward to yank on the chains, fear filling his stomach. He couldn't lose her. Not when he'd grown so close to her. "What happened?" he asked as he tried to free his wife.

"Corra, seu bastard!" Portugal repeated. She screamed, her eyes widening, when the shower curtain was torn aside.

Slovakia didn't have the chance to face his attacker when something brushed against his jaws. He opened his mouth to shout and a strip of cloth forced its way in, pinning down his tongue and pulling at the corners of his mouth. Slovakia found himself dragged back as though the cloth in his mouth was reins.

"Mph!" Slovakia tried to roar through the cloth. He scrabbled at his attacker blindly, shaking his head this way and that in his struggles.

"You are in quite enough trouble as it is," a soft voice said into his ear. "Please do not fight." The soft-spoken man was moving back as he spoke, dragging Slovakia with him.

"Mph," Slovakia snarled back before elbowing the nation hard in the stomach. He snarled again when his attack didn't faze the attacking nation. Instead, he was slammed against the hotel wall, the pair of them having made it out of the bathroom, and pinned against there with a shoulder. He saw the African nation unlocking the door out of the corner of his eye. Algeria quickly opened the door with the second nation close behind.

Slovakia shouted helplessly through gag and stomped on his captor's foot before tossing his head like a wild horse. Every angle he tried was countered with the nation yanking the cloth this way and that. Furious, Slovakia threw back his head. There was a sickening crack as his head connected with the African nation's head. He was released with a yelp, the African nation stumbling back into a wall.

Slovakia's victory was short lived before Algeria cursed in Arabic and whipped something at Slovakia's face. There was a burning sensation and Slovakia shouted in pain, falling backward. He spat the gag out of his mouth and glared up at Algeria.

"What," he panted, his jaw sore. "The hell?"

"La," Algeria said, running what looked like a rubber whip through his hand. "But you are about to go there."

"What do you want?" Slovakia snapped. He stood slowly, rubbing his jaw. The cloth gag had left cloth burns on his cheeks.

"I want my niece," Algeria said, stepping toward Slovakia who stepped back. "I cannot allow you to leave now that you have seen us."

"I no niece!" Portugal shrieked from the bathroom. "You - ." The English was followed by a string of expletives in Portuguese.

"What she said," Slovakia said. He charged forward and swung a fist at Algeria's face. The African nation ducked quickly, his hand brushing lightly against Slovakia's arm. Slovakia had a moment to wonder at the gesture before he found his arm jerked back, a rope taut around his wrist.

"Zatraceně," Slovakia swore. He yanked hard at the rope around his wrist, causing it to tighten painfully. Nothing he did could wrench the rope from Algeria's hands.

"You should not have done that," Algeria said dangerously, jerking his chin toward Slovakia.

Slovakia had just turned his head when something collided with it, a fist. The blow sent him to his knees, one of his arms outstretched by the rope around his wrist. He felt another rope slip around his free wrist before it tightened and he found his arms spread forcefully.

"You are in trouble, now," Algeria said.

"What the hell?" Slovakia growled. He twisted his torso this way and that, trying desperately to free his arms, but either way he found his arms held taut. "Let me go, you bastard!" Algeria and one of the other African nations pulled the ropes as taut as they could go and Slovakia roared in pain as his shoulders were nearly dislocated.

"I do not think so," Algeria told the growling Slovakia. He nodded to his brother. "Mauritania." Slovakia heard a scuffing noise behind himself before a strong hand clutched his jaw, forcing it open. The cloth gag was shoved back into Slovakia's mouth and tied painfully tight.

Slovakia roared in fury, tossing his head this way and that in his attempt to escape. Neither of the African nations holding his arms budged with his struggles. Their strength both surprised and frightened Slovakia. He did not want to be dragged into another one of these situations.

Algeria yanked his rope hard and Slovakia gave a pained shout through his gag. The move distracted him from the nation behind. He was slammed from behind against the only dresser in this room, Mauritania pinned him in place by pressing his weight between Slovakia's shoulder blades.

"Bind his hands," Algeria ordered his brother, tossing his end of the rope to the second nation. "We did not bring another set of shackles."

"Mph!" Slovakia shouted through his gag. He shook his head while trying to shove Mauritania off himself uselessly. Mauritania only grunted and drove his knee into Slovakia, causing the European nation to fall to the ground.

Using the rope bound to Slovakia's wrist, Mauritania jerked the nation's arm back. He held out his hand for his brother's rope.

"Niger."

Slovakia saw the last African nation nod before handing over his rope. His second arm was dragged back and bound tightly between the two ropes. The knotting felt complicated, not to mention uncomfortably tight. No matter how hard Slovakia twisted his rips all he earned himself were red welts.

"I wish you had not fought," Niger said quietly. He helped Mauritania force Slovakia to stand before easing nation back down to the floor. A particular jab to a sore job caused the fighting nation to collapse helplessly. "Algeria will not be happy with you now," Niger continued. Slovakia felt ropes wrapped around his ankles and knees before they were tied as tightly as his wrists.

Niger knelt beside Slovakia's head, stroking the nation's hair soothingly. Slovakia's saw his hand disappear into his pocket before reappearing with a small syringe. His eyes widened in terror. There was nothing more he despised in the world than drugs. Utopia had pumped him full of them, leaving him with an omnipresent feeling of helplessness in his captivity. He had been the perfect lab rat in that state.

Niger glanced over his shoulder before he leaned forward to speak in Slovakia's ear.

"I will make your ride easier," he said softly. "If you cannot fight then you will not earn more punishment for yourself." He removed a small vial of liquid from his pocket. Slovakia snarled at the sight of it and struggled hard against Mauritania who was pinning him down with a knee to his back.

The syringe was filled with the drugs and Niger nodded to Mauritania. Slovakia's hair was seized in a tight grip and his head forced forward to bare his neck.

"You are a strong nation," Niger said. "I can tel. This will most likely sedate you for the ride. It will not put you to sleep outright." Slovakia felt the cold needle press against the base of his neck and the syringe was pressed into his skin, the contents injected into his bloodstream. The syringe was removed and returned to its pocket.

Slovakia's struggles slowed as the drug pumped its through his system. It was something Utopia had not used on him. He had grown immune to Utopia's drugs through the years. He felt himself being lifted from the floor and onto the hotel bed.

"Everything will be alright," Niger said to Slovakia. He arranged Slovakia's limbs so they did not pain him, supporting his shoulders with a pillow. "I will be back as soon as we find transportation to get you out of here."

Slovakia watched the African nation exit the room in a hurry. Algeria was nowhere to be seen. That must have been what he was looking for when he had drugged Slovakia. Letting his head hit the pillow, Slovakia wished he and Czech could communicate like America and South.

"_Stay away,"_ Slovakia prayed silently. _"Please, just this once, stay away."_

* * *

A/N: _**What did you think? **_**We're still hiding! **_Because, seriously, we want his mind to stay pure. Though, he did say thank you for all the sweets and hugs he's been given over the past few days._

**Yohimbe is a tree in Africa used as an aphrodisiac. **_Hopefully you all know what an aphrodisiac is, because we're not explaining it!"_

_We all know about the Iron Curtain. It was an unfortunate event in history that caused everyone in the Soviet Union to fall behind in technology advancements. They became poor, tried to cut West Berlin off the allies, but we stopped that from happening! Planes dropped food packages for the West Berlin citizens during that horrid time._

**Streaking is a no no . . . anywhere you are. **_So is throwing dirt at your professor in class. _**Pollux! **_I didn't do it!_

_Slovakia has been under the control of others since the collapse of the Great Moravian Empire. First it was Magyar, then Hungary, then Austro-Hungary, and finally Russia. The people of Czech (formerly Bohemia, Silesia, and Moravia) fought for Slovakia's equal rights but didn't win. In the end, Czech and Slovakia are two countries said to have the strongest ties in the world._


	6. Uzbekistan

Disclaimer: _**We don't own Hetalia! . . . **_**But we do own Acirema, **_who is sleeping right now._

A/N: _**Hey, everyone!**_

**Sorry for the wait. We'd written a chapter on Monday, but . . . **_it didn't turn out very good so we re-played it. _**We like this one much better!**

_Right, so Acirema is taking a nap because our game of hide-and-seek tuckered him out. And because we didn't want him seeing this chapter either . . . or the next one . . . or the next one . . . or the next one. _**Would you shut up?**

_And here's a lovely poem written by Lishylu!_

_Bauhina you so omg.  
Bada bing bada boom!  
With a zing zam zoom!  
I'll shut up and go to sleep now.  
Steelpan attack all that try to disturb my sleep  
Oh and can I cuddle you till I pass out Acirema  
Gonna do it any way 'glomp'  
Buonanotte_

_**Enjoy! Please review!**_

* * *

**Uzbekistan**

The van door slammed shut with a _bang_ and locked with an ominous _click._ Portugal lifted her head from the floor of the van, her green eyes wide with terror. She had just been tossed into a van after a six hours flight by Mauritania. It had taken both Niger and Algeria to force Slovakia out of the plane and into the van. Slovakia's gag had been removed afterward so he could shout insults at his captors.

Portugal closed her eyes tightly and tried not to think of the nation whom she, once a he, had lived in terror of for centuries. She could still remember how Morocco had spent years protecting her and Spain from Algeria. Even Morocco hadn't been able to save Spain from Algeria's violent curiosity.

"Damn ropes," Slovakia muttered under his breath. He twisted at the bonds around his wrists uselessly. His skin had been rubbed red by rope burns and he had even earned himself a few cuts.

"You okay?" Portugal asked her husband, examining him with wide eyes. She couldn't help but think of what Algeria was going to do to her and if he had already captured Spain who had been alone for the past two days.

"If I could get out of these damn ropes," Slovakia grunted as he wrenched at the ropes. He winced when more skin broke. "Then I'd be great."

"You no get out," Portugal softly. "Argélia too good." The engine roared to life and the van lurched forward.

"No one is too good," Slovakia said. "There's always a flaw in every pl-AN!" The last word ended in a yelp when the rope burned over an open wound.

"He too good," Portugal said. She curled in on herself, on the verge of tears when she heard the shackles around her wrists and ankles clank. "He always too good." Slovakia stopped his struggling to look over at her.

"You're seriously scared of this guy?" he asked. "I've seen you stare Russia down and deny him a sunflower." That had been an interesting world meeting that ended with sunflowers being thrown at any nation who spoke. Latvia had been poked in the eye and Taiwan littered with petals.

Portugal gave her husband a glare before curling up tighter. "Argélia scare me," she said. "Slovakia." She looked up at her husband with tears in her eyes. "I scared."

Slovakia chewed his thoughtfully before he grumbled to himself and scooted his way to Portugal's side. He laid his head on her shoulder in as comforting a manner as possible with his bound arms.

"It's going to be alright," he told her gently. "We'll find a way out of this."

"How?" Portugal asked him, burying her face into Slovakia's shoulder. "He too good."

"With our combined years of battle we should be able to kick him in the rit'," Slovakia said. He kissed Portugal on the cheek. "We'll be just fine, Srdce. _(Heart.)_"

"I scared, Slovakia," Portugal said again. "Argélia hurt Espanha. He hurt me. What we do when he hurt you?"

"He won't do that," Slovakia said. He rested his head back on Portugal's shoulder. "There's no way I'm letting him go near you and me."

"I scared he hurt you," Portugal said. "You no know him. He kill you." She heard the tires of the van leave pavement and hit gravel. They were leaving the city.

"Portugal," Slovakia said firmly. He pulled back to look his wife in the face. "Don't worry about me, I can handle myself just fine. Worry about yourself."

"Why me?" Portugal asked softly. "Why no you? Why no Tcheca?"

"Because I know how to take care of myself," Slovakia said. "And Czech is my responsibility."

"I fight!" Portugal argued fiercely. "I know how fight. I just . . ." she paused before admitting, "Argélia scare me."

"Why?" Slovakia asked curiously. "What did he do to Spain that scares you so much?"

"I no know," Portugal said softly. "He take and bring him back and Espanha no normal. He scared and hurt."

"Was this when you were younger?" Slovakia sked his wife. He swore loudly when the van hit a bump and hard and he was rolled away from Portugal. "This is disgusting," he said into the dusty floor. "Algeria really needs to clean this van out more often."

We very young," Portugal said, ignoring Slovakia's dilemma. "Marrocos raise us and her brothers come to visit. They tall and scary."

Slovakia rolled back over to look at Portugal. "What made Algeria want to get to know Spain?" he asked. "Algeria doesn't seem like the best buddy type to me."

"He no want to know him," Portugal said. "He want to hurt him. So he did." Slovakia's eyes narrowed at that.

"He purposefully hurt Spain?" he said. "What made him do that?"

It was an unspoken rule among the nations never to hurt a nation without reason. If it didn't have to do with war or arguments they had no right to hurt another. It was frowned upon by everyone, even the most violent and dishonest of the nations.

"Argélia no nice," Portugal said simply. "He mean and bad."

"Is that why Spain is crazy?" Slovakia asked. "When he has those . . . fits of rage."

"Fits of rage?" Portugal repeated in confusion. "Espanha angry?" She had never seen her brother furious at anyone before, not even when Prussia and France tied Romano up and abandoned him at Russia's house. He had just laughed it off and went to rescue Romano.

"Áno," Slovakia said. He gave Portugal a strange look, as though trying to figure her out. "You didn't know? When someone pisses Spain off he turns into this violent, blood thirsty bastard. What did Sweden call him?" He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling as he though. "Oh, right, Dobyvatel'. Conquistador."

"Conquistador?" Portugal said, cocking her head. "Sound stupid."

"He's dangerous," Slovakia said. He flinched when the van hit another bump and he landed on his shoulder wrong. "I watched him take America, England, and Germany down. And that was all at once. Only Sweden could get him to calm down by holding a water bottle."

"You weak," Portugal said. "You weak and stupid. I no meet Conquistador." Slovakia frowned at her.

"Never?" he asked. "Seriously? Not once in your life? Not even once?"

"Não," Portugal said, shaking her head. "I no meet him."

Slovakia's frown deepened as he thought. "That explains that, then," he said softly, as though to himself.

"O quê?" Portugal said, cocking her head even more to the side. The confusion only seemed to grow with every word Slovakia said.

"Sometimes you act like Spain," Slovakia said slowly. He paused, thinking, before he continued. "You get really violent, usually only with Spain, though." Portugal gave him a disbelieving look. "Of course you don't remember," Slovakia muttered.

The van hit yet another bump and Slovakia was rolled onto his stomach. "Dammit!" he roared. "Would you learn how to drive?" he shouted at the driver who couldn't hear him. "You're going to kill someone!"

o-o-{ }-o-o

North Korea stared at the wall of the guest bedroom, listening to the sound of the night as the storm raged on outside. The howling winds rattled the windows and he swore he could hear the waves crashing on the short kilometers away. The typhoon had finally struck sometime in the middle of the night, waking North Korea from his deep sleep.

Shifting uncomfortably under the heavy covers, North Korea tried to go back to sleep. He had never liked typhoons, they scared him.

North Korea's eyes flew open at the sound of the door creaking open. Soft footsteps padded across the carpet before the bed sank under a new weight. Someone pulled the bed sheets back with a rustle.

"Brother?" a soft voice said through the dark. "The hurricane hit." The bed shook as the newcomer laid down on the mattress.

"Tobago?" North Korea asked in confusion. He turned over to try and see the island nation in the dark. "What are you doing in here, ez-ad?" There was a moment of silence in which Tobago seemed to be trying to process what was happening.

"North Korea?" he eventually said.

"Ye," North Korea said. He propped himself up on his elbows. "Who did you think was in here, ez-ad?"

"I-I," Tobago's voice cracked as he whimpered. "I thought Brother was in here."

"Trinidad is out on the couch," North Korea said, sitting up fully. "Are you frightened of the typhoon, ez-ad?" His answer came when a particularly strong gust of wind rattled the windows again and Tobago yelped, diving under the covers.

"Tobago, ez-ad?" North Korea asked. He lifted the covers to peer under them, screeching when the bedroom door slammed open. There was a hushed swear and someone stumbling ungracefully around the room. A heavy mass leaped onto the bed and stomped around, trying to make a nest for itself.

"Trinidad, ez-ad?" North Korea asked weakly, trying to calm his pounding heart.

"Yeah?" Trinidad said through the dark. He tripped on something and swore again. "Brother wasn't in his room, so I came in here to look. Is he here?"

"He is under the covers, ez-ad," North Korea said. His eyes widened when Trinidad practically dove under the covers after his twin brother.

"Ya alright, Brother?" Trinidad asked Tobago. He yelped when Steelpan stomped on his back. "Damn dog, will ya watch it?" Steelpan barked at him.

"You're scaring North Korea," Tobago mumbled form where he laid under the covers. "It's not nice, Brother, scaring a guest." Steelpan nudged Tobago's back with a snuffling nose before he laid down, curling around his smaller master, and sighed happily.

"Sorry about that, Brother," Trinidad said. North Korea crossed his arms and huffed. "But yer the important one right now."

"If you two are going to sleep in here," North Korea said waspishly. "Then I am going to sleep in the sitting room. There is not enough room on this bed for three people, ez-ad." He moved to slide of the bed, and yelped when strong hands seized his ankles and dragged him under the covers.

"Yer not going anywhere, North Korea," Trinidad said. He wrapped arm both the other nations under the sheets. "We're going to stay here together until the storm is gone."

"But this is ridiculous, ez-ad," North Korea pouted.

"The bed's big enough," Trinidad said. Steelpan sighed again and moved to lay his great head on North Korea's leg. The Asian nation made a face at the added weight.

"This is not going to work, ez-ad."

"It'll work just fine."

"We will run out of oxygen soon, ez-ad."

"Oh . . ." Trinidad was quiet for a moment as he thought through these words. "I didn't think of that."

"You are impossible, ez-ad," North Korea shouted, his voice magnified under the covers. He yelped in surprise when Tobago wrapped his arms around his middle and buried his face in North Korea's back.

"Please don't go," Tobago mumbled into the night shirt. North Korea grumbled to himself but sighed in the end.

"Fine," he said. "As long as we can at least uncover our heads. I like breathing, ez-ad." He yelped when Trinidad wrenched the covers back to give them fresh air. Steelpan lifted his head to glare at the trio.

Tobago cuddled close to North Korea and sighed. "Thank you," he said. "Brother knows I don't like storms."

"Brother knows best," Trinidad said. He snuggled down into the mattress. "He also knows when it's time for bed."

"I second that, ez-ad," North Korea said. He couldn't help but notice he felt safer with Trinidad beside him. The happy nation was a sturdy rock in a raging sea of fear.

"Woof!"

o-o-{ }-o-o

When Niger had been given the duty of taking Estonia to his new room it hadn't been a problem. Conquistador had been just as easy, though not asleep like Estonia had been. Slovakia . . . was another story. It was like trying to force a horse to drink from the river. The European nation dug his freed heels into the floor, ignored every order, and basically just made it hard to move him.

Niger was struggling as he tried to keep Slovakia on a controlled path. The European nation wasn't having any of it though, and kept trying to twist out of Niger's grip. Algeria followed close behind, watching his brother in faint interest. Portugal's screams carried down the hall as Mauritania dragged her in the opposite direction.

"Portugal!" Slovakia roared, his struggles increasing. There was a split second where he slipped from Niger's fingers and stumbled forward, Niger's stomach twisting in fear. Without batting an eye, Algeria drove his fist into Slovakia's stomach. Niger winced at the action but hurried forward to grab Slovakia's bound arms. Slovakia was gasping at the pain that only seemed to redouble his struggles.

"You," the European nation choked out. "Bastard."

"Naam," Algeria said, flexing his fingers. Slovakia had a hard stomach. I have heard that many times before."

Niger dragged Slovakia backward down the hall and into a room. Their herculean journey ended in the center of the room where Slovakia was forced to kneel between two poles set several feet apart. Cutting the ropes binding the captive's arms, Niger used his weight to quickly pin Slovakia to the floor and reached over to lock a shackle around his wrist.

"What are you doing?" Slovakia demanded. He jerked at the shackle with one hand and shoved against the floor with the other. "Get off me!" The chain pulled his arm at an odd angle of the floor and the cuff was oddly padded with rubber.

"You chose to fight," Algeria said simply. "So now you must learn. After all, I need you to be obedient if I am to bring more of you pigs in." He walked to the pole Slovakia's arm was chained to and turned a crank that drew the chain in. Niger guided the chained nation into a straight position so he wouldn't be injured.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Slovakia spat through gritted teeth. He struggled against Niger when the African nation grabbed his free arm. "I said, get off!" He couldn't stop Niger from forcing his arm straight and locking his wrist into another shackle. Algeria moved to the other side and turned a crank there as well. Slovakia's arms were spread forcefully and painfully, though it caused him no injury.

"Your sister," Algeria said to Slovakia. "After all, she has faced death so many times I do not think she will mind a safe place to call home for once." Slovakia stopped wrenching at his arms and turned to glare at Algeria.

"Are you kidding me?" he sneered. "She couldn't be happier when she's with that damn husband of hers."

"Oh?" Algeria said in surprise. He strode to a table beside the open door before looking over his shoulder at Slovakia. "I did not know she was married."

"Jo," Slovakia said. He resumed his struggling with the taut chains. "With that German blbec."

"Germany?" Algeria repeated, confusion lit on his face. "You mean to tell me Czech is married to the German pig?"

"Čo?" Slovakia asked as he paused again. It was his turn to look confused then angry. "Nie! Czech isn't married to anyone."

"You said your sister was married to Germany," Algeria said. He turned around to face Slovakia, thoroughly confused now. "Czech is your sister," he said thoughtfully as he attempted to solve this new puzzle. "The only other sibling you have is - ." He froze and looked to Slovakia. "Your brother," he whispered. Slovakia's eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips, realizing what Algeria did not know.

"His name," Algeria said to Niger. "What was his name?"

"Poland," Niger mumbled from behind Slovakia. He almost sounded regretful. "His name is Poland."

"Poland," Algeria repeated to himself. He paced the length of the room several times before stopping in front of Slovakia. "You said your sister is married to Germany," he said, crouching down to be level with Slovakia. "Then you must have meant Poland is now a female, much like Portugal."

"Leave them alone," Slovakia growled before spitting in Algeria's face. Algeria straightened up and wiped the spit from his face, wearing disgusted expression.

"Oh, I do not think I can now," he told Slovakia. "Not when I have learned Poland is a female now." He strode back to the table and shuffled through the items. Slovakia thought he heard metal on metal several times.

"It's not like you'll be able to get anywhere near her," Slovakia said hotly, tugging at the chains again. "Those German and Russian bastards are always around her."

"Germany?" Algeria asked over his shoulder with a quirked eyebrow. "And Russia? My, my, Poland certainly has his, her work cut out for herself. But, I do not think it will be a problem." He nodded to Niger who still stood behind Slovakia. "I have been wanting the German pig for a while now."

"What _don't_ you want?" Slovakia asked in disdain. "Because right now you're coming off as a spoiled brat to me."

"What I do _not_ want," Algeria said dangerously. "Is for you to continue speaking to me in this manner."

"I'll talk to you however I want, blbec," Slovakia snapped back. He wrenched at his wrists, twisting them this way and that. "So suck it up and grow up."

"You will not speak to me like that," Algeria said. "Not after I am finished with you. Niger," he ordered. "You know what to do."

"Naam, Algeria," Niger muttered. Slovakia had a moment to wonder what was going on before his hair was seized in a tight grip and his head forced back. Niger was fumbling with something in his other hand.

"What are you doing?" Slovakia demanded. He jerked at his head, wincing when several hairs parted with his head. "Let me go, you blbec."

"You should not speak in such a tone," Algeria said, tsking Slovakia's behavior. "You will only pay for it in the end."

"Please do not fight," Niger said softly in Slovakia's ear. He grabbed Slovakia by the jaw and pressed down hard on the nation's jaw hinge.

"Gah!" Slovakia shouted in pain. He tried to twist out of Niger's grasp helplessly but Niger was surprisingly strong for being soft spoken.

A rubber bar was pressed back into his mouth, curving over his tongue. The straps on either side were pulled back and locked tightly behind Slovakia's head. Niger released Slovakia's head, the European nation shaking his head hard like a wet dog while growling. Algeria nodded to his brother and Niger hurried from the room. Slovakia gave Algeria a filthy look.

"Do you like it?" Algeria asked, moving forward to smooth Slovakia's hair back. Slovakia snarled and knocked Algeria's hand away with head. Algeria frowned and made his way back to the table, grabbing what looked like a baton. "You will learn," he said softly. "Soon you will crave the attention I give you."

Slovakia breathed hard through his nose. His eyes flicked between Algeria and the rod he was beginning to recognize from America's house. It was a cattle prod holding hundreds of thousands volts of electricity. He slowly stared to shake his head, the action growing faster and more desperate as his eyes widened in desperation.

"Do you wonder why your shackles are covered in rubber?" Algeria asked Slovakia casually, tapping the prod against his hand. "Or why your gag is made with rubber and not metal?"

"Mph!" Slovakia shouted wildly through his gas, twisting against his restraints. He winced when his shoulders were strained at the movements.

"It is because what I am about to punish you with," Algeria said. He twisted his grip on the prod and listened as a whine filled the air. "Is rather . . . shocking."

"Mph! Mph!" Slovakia spat the two undecipherable words past his bit. As Algeria approached him with the dangerous weapon, he leaned away. His eyes were glued to the whining prod in terror. Portugal hadn't been lying when she'd said Algeria was cruel.

"I do not understand what you say, Slovakia," Algeria said, stopping directly in front of Slovakia. "Perhaps you should use a more respectful tone with me." Slovakia took his chances and flipped him the bird with both hands. "Very well," Algeria said.

Lifting the baton into the air, Algeria brought it down hard on Slovakia's bare shoulder. Slovakia screeched as thousands of volts of electricity surged through his body and his back arched painfully. When the baton was finally pulled back, his chest heaved with breaks, his head lolling back as he tried to get over the pain.

"What do you think, Slovakia?" Algeria sked. "Perhaps you will learn your lesson quickly?" Slovakia rolled his head forward to glare at his captor before shaking his head slowly. His hatred for this disturbing nation was only growing. "Well, then, that is too bad. I have never liked the nation who struggled against their futures."

He raised the baton and brought it down, striking Slovakia twice on the chest. Slovakia keened with each hit, his back arching once more. This time, when the baton was drawn back, he slumped forward. Only the shackles held him upright as they pulled at his shoulders painfully. He didn't notice Algeria stalk around him.

"What do you think now, Slovakia?" Algeria snarled into Slovakia's ear before striking Slovakia in the back. "Do you think you will learn?" The electricity surged through the European nation's shoulder, causing Slovakia to scream and spasm.

Slovakia fell forward once more and this time his shoulder was dislocated with a _pop_. He moaned at the new found pain. His limbs were twitching with the shock of the electricity, his chest heaved for breath, and his heart battered against his ribs.

"Well?" Algeria roared, and brought the baton down between Slovakia's shoulder blades. Slovakia spasmed again and collapsed once again. His shoulders shudder as he tried to contain hi trembling muscles. He watched as his sweat dripped to the floor joined quickly by a droplet of blood. His nose was bleeding from the torture. Ever so slowly, knowing he couldn't take much more of this, Slovakia nodded.

"You give up, then?" Algeria asked, moving around Slovakia to crouch down before him. Slovakia lifted his head to glare at him, his chest heaving. "Should I take that as a 'no' or simply as an 'I hate you'?" Algeria asked as he casually examined his baton. "I am not yet tired."

Slovakia rolled his good shoulder, wincing at his dislocated shoulder, before he lunged forward at Algeria. He managed to knock foreheads with the other nation who fell back on his butt. Algeria blinked in shock at Slovakia. Slowly, rubbing his forehead, he stood and began packing to and fro before Slovakia.

"This has never happened before," he muttered, glaring at Slovakia as he paced. "Are you truly this foolish, Slovakia, as to refuse me?"

"_Just smarter than you think,"_ Slovakia thought to himself. He maneuvered himself on his aching knees before wrenching sideways. His dislocated shoulder relocated with a sickening _pop_. He kept his eyes glued on Algeria the whole time.

"What possesses you?" Algeria snarled, lifting the baton and bringing it down on Slovakia's shoulder. He raised it again and slammed it down at the base of Slovakia's throat. Slovakia howled, his back bowing under the pain. His eyes widened as he felt his heart reaching its limits before he collapsed against the chains again. Fear filled Slovakia's stomach as he tried to catch his breath. What would Algeria do to him if he had a heart attack?

Algeria moved around Slovakia and fiddled with the straps of the bit. Slovakia spat the bit out along with a mouthful of blood. He coughed hard, his throat aching from his screaming. A strong hand grabbed his chin and lifted his head up. Algeria had, once again, stalked around Slovakia.

"What about Portugal?" Algeria said harshly. "Or your sweet, innocent sister? Or maybe even your death defying sister?"

"S-Stop," Slovakia croaked. He closed his eyes and tried to control his rattling heart. It would do him no good if he collapsed right now from heart failure.

"Why should I?" Algeria demanded. "What if I do not want to? Perhaps if I bring Poland here you will behave when you see her writhing and screaming before you."

"L-Leave her al-lone," Slovakia panted. He groaned and let his head fall forward out of Algeria's hand. "Sh-She did n-nothing t-to you."

"Neither did you," Algeria purred into Slovakia's pounding ear. "You were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and look where that got you. Now your sister will pay for what you have done."

"N-Nie," Slovakia whispered. He collapsed against his chains once more, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "I-I'll do what y-you want, just l-leave her alone."

"Now, then," Algeria said. "Was that so hard?" he asked as he leaned forward to release one of Slovakia's wrists. The moment his wrist was free, Slovakia seized Algeria by the front of his shirt and dragged him forward.

"I don't break for anyone," Slovakia growled at Algeria. "I didn't break for Utopia, I didn't break for Portugal, and I won't break for you. Don't get the wrong idea. I'll do what you say, but go near Poland and I _will_ kill you." He shook Algeria hard to get his point across. "Got it?"

Algeria blinked in what could have only been described as confusion before a small smile formed on his lips. Slovakia watched him stand slowly, brushing his pants off. Before Slovakia could react, Algeria seized him by the hair and ran his head into the wall hard. Slovakia collapsed to the floor with a groan, black spots forming over his eyes.

"You mistake me, Slovakia," Algeria said. "I said I would not torture Poland in front of you, not that I would not collect her."

The last words rang through Slovakia's head as his eyes flickered shut and his body went lax on the cold stone floor.

o-o-{ }-o-o

The hotel was silent as the grave. Only the humans were milling about in the lobby, some even missing the ruckus that had been happening lately. Especially the night before. They wouldn't find a nation anywhere, though. They were all either sleeping off a hangover or trying to catch up on sleep they never got because of certain . . . circumstances.

There had been quite some screaming this morning, though. It had been quickly quelled by Germany when many hungover nations came complaining to him. Someone had replaced all of Vietnam's clothing with risqué outfits she would not be seen in. Germany could have sworn he saw Poland pat a nervous Britta on the shoulder. He'd have to talk to his wife about influencing humans in bad ways.

Germany, Russia, China, and Iceland sat in a private conference room on the first floor of the hotel. Britta had been kind enough to book it for them. A heavy tip to the manager had earned them no staff near the room for at least two hours.

Russia dropped two tablets into a glass of water and watched them fizzle as they dissolved. China had his head on the table, hands clapped over his ears. Germany was staring at his folded hands as he waited patiently for the other two nations to recover from their hangovers.

"Perhaps we should not have – how does America say it? – partied hard last night," Russia said in a soft voice. He downed the fizzing drink in one gulp and shuddered at the taste.

"Please do not shout, aru," China moaned. He wove his fingers through his hair and clamped them down on his ears harder. Germany was pretty sure he'd seen the ancient nation drink more alcohol than Finland and Latvia combined.

"And old nation like you should not be drinking so much," Russia suggested gently. "Your body cannot handle it anymore, da." He smiled at China's glare.

"This has nothing to do with my age, aru," China said hotly.

"We were all a little overzealous," Germany said as softly as he could before a fight broke out. China settled his head back down on the table.

"Why are we here?" China moaned into the table. "Why cannot I be sleeping in with Indonesia or taking a cold shower, aru?"

"Because we need to talk about the nations who haven't arrived yet," Germany told him. "I haven't received any news from Estonia in a few days. Have you, Russia?"

"Net," Russia said with as hake of his head that made him wince. "I did read, though, there is a hurricane going through the south right now. I believe we have lost connection with South America until it has passed."

Iceland glanced at Germany out of the corner of his eye. "We have two hungover nations," he said, his ear twitching. "More refusing to come out of their rooms because they're too hungover. What about you? Didn't you go drinking last night?"

"I'm fine," Germany said stiffly before quickly changing the subject. "Now, who else hasn't arrived yet?"

"North Korea's plane was grounded in Trinidad and Tobago due to the typhoon," China said into the table, still refusing to lift his head. "And Japan is helping Australia hunt . . . brumbies, aru."

"Mongolia, Austria, and Hungary have business to finish up," Russia told Germany. He peered into the empty water glass before pouting. "I need vodka, not hangover medicine." Germany and China just looked at him with blank faces. "Chto?"

"Don't tell Poland Japan's hunting horses with Australia," Iceland muttered to Germany. "She'll freak out."

"Is that what a brumby is?" China asked, finally looking up. He accepted a packet of tablets offered by Russia and tore it open. "I figured it was a kind of animal, aru." Russia smiled and patted China on the shoulder, earning himself a glare.

"And Portugal told me Spain needed to finish paperwork," Germany said. "I think that's everyone." He looked up to see what China was doing and his eyes widened. "China, nein!" But it was too late.

China popped the tablets into his mouth. There was a moment of silence in which Russia giggled in a rather evil way. The next second China's eyes widened and fizzling foam spewed out of his mouth along with many fluent swears.

"Those are supposed to go in water, you dummkopf!" Germany shouted at China, leaping to his feet. China was spitting foam from his mouth and shaking his head at the same time. Russia just continued to laugh at the ancient nation's problem.

"Wǒ huì shāle nǐ, èluósī, aru, _(I will kill you, Russia, aru,)_" China shouted furiously through the foam. Iceland fell out of his chair from laughing so hard.

"You should have known better," Russia said through his chuckles. "You _are_ five thousand years old, da."

"That does not mean you need to make fun of me," China shouted at Russia. He stomped on Iceland's wagging tail. "And stop laughing at me, aru!" Iceland screeched in pain and froze, seeming to go into shock. He stared straight ahead, his body shivering with tremors.

"China," Germany growled as Russia frowned. "That was uncalled for." He hurried to crouch beside Iceland, taking his cousin into his arms. "It'll be alright, Iceland, China's just in a bad mood." China slapped Russia's hand away when the other nation poked him in the head.

The door opened and a violet eyed nation stepped into the room. "Germany?" Finland said. She froze at the sight of China with foam down his front and a frozen Iceland. "What happened?" she asked. "Iceland looked like he did when Denmark accidentally stepped on is tail that one time. It took hours for him to wake up."

"China stepped on Little Iceland's tail," Russia said, poking China in the head again. He yelped in surprise when China leaped on him with a howl.

Germany gathered Iceland into his arms and straightened up. "We need to get Iceland to his room, or at least to Hong Kong's," he told Finland. "Do you know where Hong Kong is?"

"I think she's staying at Iceland's house," Finland said. "Which reminds me. Su-san wanted me to tell you Turkey is getting agitated from having to wait. Netherlands says Ottoman's just as upset. He's torn apart another hotel room. That was his fourth one."

"Tell them they a bit of patience won't kill them," Germany said as he made his way out of the room. "Maybe we should just lock them in a room together and turn off the lights, whoever comes out alive wins."

"I don't think that would work," Finland said, following Germany and glancing over her shoulder at the squabbling nations. "I think Turkey would just hit Ottoman and Ottoman would just stand there and laugh."

"I suppose," Germany said. He froze at the sight of Albania strolling down the hall without a stitch of clothing on, his face painted a bright pink with a ridiculous white clown smile around his lips. A great blue arrow on his chest pointed down with _Property of Vietnam_ above it.

"Mein Gott, Albania!" Germany roared. "Put some clothes!" Finland turned her head to see what he was shouting, blushed, and clapped a hand over her eyes.

"I can't seem to find any," Albania replied, crossing his arms. "Vietnam won't let me into the room and I'm searching for your idiot brother and his perverted friend. Have you seen them?

"Nein, I haven't," Germany said. A blush was growing on his cheeks. He turned back to the room. "Russia, give Albania your coat!"

"Pochemu? _(Why?)_" Russia asked Germany. He poked his head out of the room with China still hanging around his neck swearing and took Albania in. He fell back into the room howling with laughter.

"Çfarë?" Albania asked, cocking his head. "You don't like it? The Mongol Empire did the same thing to me once. Though I think it was in the winter time." He scratched his head, looking thoughtful. "Po, I think it was in the winter."

Germany was about to yell at Albania some more when his phone buzzed. He shifted Iceland in his arms to pull it from his pocket and check the message. His blush grew even more at what he saw.

"Did the Mongol Empire do _this_?" he croaked, showing Albania a picture of himself handcuffed to a bed and painted as he is now, completely naked. Finland's phone buzzed too and Russia's howling laughter increased. China could be heard shouting.

"That is wrong! Why would someone send this tom me, aru?"

"Nope," Albania said. "I don't recall him trying that, but I can name two nations who are going to be dead by the end of today."

"Excuse me, Mr. Beilschmidt?" Britta asked as she came around the corner with a clipboard in her hands. "My manager wanted me to ask when you would be finished." She looked up from the paper she was reading to find Germany's hand clapped over her eyes, Germany having dropped Iceland and dashed to her side.

"Ja, ja, we're finished," he said quickly. "We just need Yao and Ivan to finish their mating dance."

"Hey! That is uncalled for, aru!"

"Then we'll be out of the room," Germany continued, ignoring China's furious shouts. He turned Britta around, hand still over her eyes, and ushered her into the semi-safe conference room. "Please do not leave this room until someone tells you it's safe."

"Alright," Britta said uncertainly, allowing herself to be maneuvered into the room.

When Germany turned back around, it was to find Algeria missing. "Verdammt," he muttered before opening his cellphone and dialing a group call. He held the phone to his ear, waiting for a moment. "Hallo, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands; I declare code Fox Out of the Hole. Do not let him leave the building."

"Përshëndetje!" Albania's voice carried out of the conference room and Britta released a screech, "Ó Guð minn!"

"He's loose in the building," Germany said into the receiver, glaring at the room. "And naked with ridiculous paint on his body. We can't let him into the general public or he'll contaminate them."

"Verdammt," Switzerland growled before he hung up.

"What did you just say?" Albania demanded, poking his head out the door as Germany ended the group call. He had an arm wrapped around a hyperventilating Britta. "Just for that I'm going to get out of this hotel and – what did you say? – _contaminate_ the general public."

"Albania, release the poor fraulein," Germany ordered, charging at Albania. "You are going to give her heart attack."

"Ciao, fraulein!" Albania said, and stole a kiss before ducking under Germany's arms and racing off. Britta did indeed look ready to have a heart attack right then and there.

"China, Russia," Germany said to the two nations who looked both scarred for life and horrified. "Immediate human pampering is needed due to nation PTSD," he said. China and Russia nodded before swooping down on the freaking out Britta, cooing to her in the languages.

"I'm going on a manhunt." And Germany tore down the hall.

o-o-{ }-o-o

Tunisia and Estonia looked up at the sound of a doorknob turning to find Niger standing in the doorway. The African nation nodded to his smaller brother who left quickly. Shutting the door behind himself, Niger pulled a stool up to the table and sat down beside Estonia. He looked over the work Estonia had managed to complete in the few days he'd been held captive.

There were dark circles under Estonia's eyes and his hands trembled from exhaustion as he attempted to drive miniscule screws into the small chip on the table. Supplies and tools littered the table and floor around him. There were broken and tossed aside prototypes in the mix.

"You are tired," Niger eventually said after a few minutes of watching Estonia work.

"Jah," Estonia said, his voice cracking with the single word. "I've had trouble sleeping for the past few days."

"And why is that?" Niger asked him. "Do not tell me you are afraid of me, I may not be able to sleep at night knowing that." Estonia gave him a strange look before shaking his head slowly.

"Ei," he said before returning to his work. "It's Algeria. I keep thinking he's going to come during the night and beat me because I did something wrong."

"Algeria will not beat you for doing something," Niger assured him. "He would talk to you about it and give you a long lecture to teach you a lesson."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Estonia said. His hand slipped and the screwdriver fell aside. "Pask." Niger stopped him before he could pick up the screwdriver. Surprising the European nation with his strength, he lifted Estonia into his arms and walked over to a small bed, laying him down on it. He settled down on the floor and leaned against the wall.

"What would you like to hear about?" he asked.

"Mida?" Estonia asked in confusion. "I need to finish the chip for Algeria. I don't have time to sleep." He began to sit up but Niger forced him back down.

"Even Algeria knows you need your rest," Niger said. "Morocco used to talk to us about boring topics or tell stories until we fell asleep." Estonia stared at him for a moment, thinking through his words, before he finally settled back with a sigh.

"Tell me a story about you," Estonia said. "I know most of Europe but not Africa."

"Well," Niger said, rubbing his chin in thought before he continued. "The first time I met my siblings I was very surprised. Algeria and Morocco were arguing, as usual. Morocco proceeded to whip out a knife and started trying to stab him. Mauritania and Mali attempted to step in and were almost stabbed themselves. We hadn't met Tunisia yet, and I alter learned Morocco was hiding him from us."

Estonia sighed as he listened to the story. "I don't really have siblings," he said. "I have two cousin: Finland and Hungary. Latvia and Lithuania aren't related to me in any way, except that all three of us were controlled by Poland at one point."

"Poland," Niger said. "She is bossy, naam?

"Jah," Estonia chuckled. "_Very_ bossy. But you get used to - ." He cut of and whirled around to look at Niger, fear in his eyes. "How did you find out about that? You shouldn't know about Poland being a girl." Niger hung his head, sorrow in his eyes.

"Algeria was talking to Slovakia," he said quietly. "And he found out about Poland's change. I'm worried for her."

"This is bad," Estonia said. He stood up before Niger could stop him and began pacing the room. "This is very, very bad. He's going to find out about the rest of them. They don't stand a chance against him unless someone warns them." He chewed on his thumbnail in worry.

"You want someone to warm them?" Niger asked in shock. "Has your work driven you mad?"

"It would be preferable for them to know," Estonia said. He bit down hard on his thumb. "But I don't know how I would get the message out." He paused and looked around himself at the computers. "He would kill me," he whispered to himself.

"La," Niger said. "He would not kill you. Algeria would simply make you wish you had never been formed."

Estonia sank to the floor where he sat, his eyes staring dead ahead. "I can't do this," he whispered. "I can't do this again, not like last time." Niger stood and quickly moved to kneel beside him.

"It is alright," Niger said, placing his hands on Estonia's shoulders. "It will be alright."

"Russia killed over a quarter of my population," Estonia whispered. His blank eyes turned to Niger who found them full of tears. "Those years behind the Iron Curtain were hell for us. I can't do that again. I just can't." Niger closed his and nodded, swallowing hard.

"I know a way to get the word out," he said. "I can tell someone and they will help us."

"Palun," Estonia begged, wrapping a hand around one of Niger's strong arms. "Help us." Niger, thinking of what Algeria would do to him, nodded slowly.

"Naam, I will do what I can. Promise me you will tell no one."

Estonia nodded slowly. "Ma luban. _(I promise.)_"

"Very well," Niger said, standing. "You go to sleep and I will work on speaking with my friend. He will be able to help, though it might be a little strange."

"Aitäh, _(Thank you,)_" Estonia said to Niger before he stood slowly and stumbled his way to the bed, collapsing onto the mattress. Niger didn't hear anymore sounds come from him. He watched Estonia for a few minutes before taking the European nation's cellphone from his own pocket. Pressing several buttons, he waited quietly.

"Merhaban?" he said when the other line was picked up, furious shouting and gunshots heard. "Is this a bad time? I have something I need to talk to you about."

* * *

A/N: _**What did you think? **_What did I miss? I think I fell asleep when you were talking to each other. _You didn't miss much. Just hungover nations. _**Pollux! **_What?_

**Did you all remember that Portugal suffers from a multiple personality too? Inquisitor!**

**Hurricanes are nasty storms that usually hit America in the summer (around June). They're commonly called typhoons and cyclones in other countries. **_And sometimes even monsoons! _**You just looked that up in the thesaurus. **_We like to call them monsters in movies. _**Right, well, the eye is both the safest and most dangerous part of the storm. It's the center and calm of the storm but also the point when the temperature drops the lowest.**

_A stun gun can hold from 100,000 to 600,000 volts of electricity. Yowch!_

**Poor Britta is probably going to suffer a lot of nation PTSD after this is all over. PTSD stands over Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It used to be called Shell Shock in World War One. It occurs in soldiers returning home from the front and contestants of Hell's Kitchen. **_(That is a true fact! The contestants of Hell's Kitchen are sent through a psychoanalysis and then pampered for a week after they're done.)_

_In WWII Russia recaptured Estonia from Germany's clutches and forced 35,000 male Estonians to join the war. Less than 10,000 survived. WWII killed over a quarter of the population of Estonia at the time. Many of the Estonians before the occupation fled north and south out of the country. Tens of thousands were sent to labor camps and the misery continued._

_The Singing Revolution was a peaceful revolution among the Baltic States. Estonians, Lithuanians, and Latvians raised the flags that had been banned and sang their national anthems, which had also been banned. Part of this revolution was the Baltic Way (Also known as the Baltic Chain and the Human Chain). Two million Baltic citizens linked hands all the way from Tallin, Estonia through Latvia and to Vilnius, Lithuania. Those people were brave. Kudos!_


	7. Libya

Disclaimer: _**We don't own Hetalia!**_ B-But th-they d-do own m-me.

A/N: _**Hey, everyone.**_

**Sorry, we can't talk right now. **_Acirema read the chapter and is hiding behind the couch right now. _**I think we need to get a babysitter for this story.**_ Agreed._

_**Enjoy! Please review!**_

* * *

**Libya**

_Slovakia laid on his back, his arms tucked behind his head. Poland laid beside him on the grass, his hands folded over his stomach. Both their eyes were glued to the great expanse of blue sky above them. Clouds rolled through the sky, tumbling over one another and crushing together._

"_Że wygląda jak kucyk, _(That one looks like a pony,)_" Poland said, pointing to a certain cloud above them. Slovakia wrinkled his nose and cocked his head._

"_Nie, nie je, _(No, it doesn't,)_" Slovakia said. "Vyzerá to ako ovce. _(It looks like a sheep.)_"_

"_Noe uh," Poland retorted. "Jest to kón. _(It's a horse.)_" He threw a handful of grass at his younger brother who laughed and rolled away from him._

_When Slovakia pushed himself upright onto his knees he froze. All around him was a dead expanse of what had once been a green field. The sky was a rolling mass of gray clouds and the winds howled through bare tree branches. He was alone._

"_Pol'sko?" Slovakia whispered before screaming to the winds. "Pol'sko!" A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky with a _crack_ and struck Slovakia on his right shoulder. He screamed with the searing pain, feeling himself being torn in half._

Slovakia's eyes snapped open. He blinked a few times to clear the tears from them. He hadn't dreamed of Poland before the Iron Curtain for many years. His dreams had always been full of Utopia, Czech, and dying.

Something wet and cold dabbed at Slovakia's temple and that was when Slovakia realized he was lying on a bed covered with a sheet. Swallowing hard, Slovakia winced at the stiffness in his joints. His right shoulder ached the most and he could feel where Algeria had stuck him with the prod. He finally gathered up his wits and turned his head.

Egypt sat in a chair beside Slovakia's bed, a damp washcloth in his hand and a basin of water on the nightstand. There was a purple bruise on the African nation's cheek. Slovakia couldn't help but notice how miserable Egypt looked as he dipped the cloth into the water, dabbing at Slovakia's temple again. He should say something.

"Máte mordinu, _(You have a bruise,)_" Slovakia said, then frowned. He had meant to say that in English not Slovak. So he tried again, adding a poke to Egypt's bruised cheek. "Modrinu. _(Bruise.)_" Nope, still Slovak. Egypt winced and slapped Slovakia's hand away. He applied pressure to Slovakia's temple when he dabbed at the wound again, causing Slovakia to wince and turn his head away.

"Ty nemáš rád pomstu, _(You don't like revenge,)_" he told Egypt before sighing. Algeria's torture must have scrambled his brain slightly. He couldn't even think of how to start translating to English.

"I do not understand what you are saying," Egypt said. Finished with cleaning Slovakia's wound, he took some ointment from the nightstand and began to spread it across the injury. "I am old but I am not able to speak all the languages like Albania can."

"Nie si rád, že albánskej bastard, _(You're not like that Albanian bastard,)_" Slovakia said. He looked back to Egypt and quirked his eyebrows. "Ale ty si smiešny, keď spievate. _(But you're funny when you sing.)_"

"You must be like Portugal," Egypt said. "Are you able to speak broken English?" Slovakia glared at him for that. Surely Egypt could remember speaking to him. He could speak English just fine!

"Ty jsi ja, _(You know me,)_" Slovakia said. "Speak English fine." He grunted in frustration. He hadn't meant for it to come out that way.

"Very well," Egypt said. He returned to spreading the ointment across Slovakia's wound. "You speak worse English than Portugal does."

"It fine," Slovakia said through gritted teeth. "You ass." His wife would have been laughing at him right now if she was here.

"As long as you speak the word you need then yes," Egypt replied. "If not, then you might find yourself in World War Four after threatening to take over the world." Slovakia gave him a weird look before he settles for sticking his tongue out at Egypt. "I am simply saying," Egypt said, ignoring Slovakia's rude gesture. "If you are not careful then you will get into trouble."

"You annoying," Slovakia said. Frowning, he felt around his mouth with his tongue before sticking it out again. "I like when you sing better." This broken English was really starting to bug him.

"Do you want me to sing?" Egypt asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nie," Slovakia said quickly. He groaned and rolled his stiff shoulder, the one that had been dislocated. "Damn bastard needs to stop." There was his fluent English. "What happened?"

"Mauritania and Tunisia brought you to this room after Algeria left," Egypt explained carefully. "He let me come to care for your wounds."

"Damn bastard," Slovakia said again. Pushing himself upright, he twisted his torso to crack his spine in a series of sickening sounds. He saw Egypt flinch out of the corner of his eye. "Tried electrocuting me to heart failure."

"He was not trying to kill you," Egypt said softly, and Slovakia stopped trying to crack his fingers. "He was simply trying to break you." Slovakia narrowed his eyes at that.

"I won't break for him," he said. "I don't break for anyone." He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and pushed himself upright. There was a split second where he swayed in place then fell face first onto the floor. "Ow." Egypt watched him struggle in silence before he finally spoke.

"He will break you," he said. "He always finds a way to break a nation."

"I don't have anything left," Slovakia said into the floor, thinking of his dream. "He took them."

"What about your sisters?" Egypt asked. "Do they mean nothing to you?"

"Siblings start to mean less to you when you lose too many of them," Slovakia said. He pushed himself upright into a sitting position, looking over his shoulder. "Poland and I used to get along," he told Egypt. "Did you know that? Great Moravia couldn't keep us separated."

"I believe it," Egypt said as he picked up the gauze and tape off the nightstand. "You and your sister are very alike, except for one aspect."

"And what's that?" Slovakia asked Egypt hotly. "That we hate each other now?"

"La," Egypt said as he knelt beside Slovakia and placed the gauze against his temple. He lifted one of Slovakia's hands to hold the end in place. "You pushed your siblings away after losing so many and Poland clings to the one she loves. Have you ever seen her when Germany disappears and doesn't return for a long time? Poland panics until he returns." Slovakia stared at the far wall, allowing the African nation to wrap his head in gauze. Egypt allowed him to lower his hand when his head had been wrapped many times.

"It all started with Hungary and Austria," Slovakia found himself saying. He fists his pants, feeling the hot tears in his eyes. "Great Moravia died and I was born along with Silesia, Moravia, and Bohemia. We lived together with Poland in peace until Austria and Hungary separated us." He didn't know why he was telling Egypt this when he'd never told anyone about it.

"Poland told me about that day," Egypt said. "She was speaking to me while I was waiting for Turkey and Greece to finish arguing. She told me it was one of the scariest things for her, to see three of her siblings die and lose the fourth to another country."

Slovakia released his hold on his pants and looked at the wrinkled fabric in faint surprise. He hadn't even realized he was doing that. Slowly, he began to smooth it back down.

"Poland was all I had during the Iron Curtain," he told Egypt. His fingers found a loose thread in his pants and he grabbed it, yanking. "I would sit outside her door and tell her stories when Russia wasn't there. Then she came out of the room and she was . . . different. I was furious at Russia for taking the only thing I'd had left that could make me smile."

"Maybe you can get it back," Egypt offered. "I am sure Poland would love to talk with you again."

"How can I talk to her again after what happened?" Slovakia growled. He jerked the thread hard and there was a _rip_ as a large hole formed in his pants. "She abandoned me, left me to die at Utopia's hands while Czech was tortured." Egypt watched him yank at the thread before he finally sighed, reaching out to stop Slovakia's hands.

"Do you know what the Łowcy Świat _(World Hunters)_ are?" he asked, stumbling over the Polish words. Slovakia looked at him in confusion before shaking his head slowly. "They were formed in the late 90s," Egypt explained to him. "They are a Polish military force whose main job is to hunt down missing persons. For decades they hunted one person, or should I say nation." Slovakia stared at him for a moment before his mouth fell open.

"Poland?" he finally said. "She . . . he . . . was looking for me?"

"Naam," Egypt said, nodding seriously. "When he could, he would join the task force to hunt for you."

Slovakia thought through the words, his fingers finding the scar running down the right side of his face. His finger paused at his abdomen where his scar disappeared under the hem of his pants. Finally, he nodded to himself.

"I told him I would break," he said. "So I'm not going to break. I'm going to be all Poland has left here."

"I would say that is the spirit," Egypt said, a smile quirking on his lips. "But I fear it may cost you your life."

"Don't worry about me," Slovakia said as he shoved himself back to his feet. "Algeria's going to have more on his hands then he knows what to deal with." His balance still off, he ran into the close door before sliding down it. "Au."

Egypt shook his head and sighed again. "Naam, Algeria should be very worried right now."

"Shut up."

o-o-{ }-o-o

Her name meant _Lion City_ but she was more like a tiger, if Algeria had to admit. She was slender like Taiwan with the ferocity of Vietnam. Her black hair was hidden beneath a scarlet headscarf, its ends trailing over one shoulder. Every move Algeria made was followed with gold predatory eyes.

"What did you want to talk about, Algeria?" Singapore finally asked in a bored tone when Algeria didn't immediately speak. She examined a tiger-painted talon with an equally bored expression.

Algeria straightened up from leaning against his desk. Straight to business, then. He and Singapore had been working together for decades. Algeria had lost track of how many exactly.

"You do know the hurricane has ended in the west?" Algeria asked the female Asian nation who looked up to him from her nails.

"Hurricane Bernice?" Singapore asked him. She flicked her fingers gracefully and uncrossed her long legs. "Ām, I know of it."

"There is a certain nation in South America," Algeria said. "I am very interested in him."

"There are many nations down in South America," Singapore said with a roll of her eyes. She crossed her legs once more and turned her head to look out a window, growing ever more bored with this conversation. "And many of them are male. Which one are you talking about? I'm growing bored of you."

"You know of which one I am speaking of," Algeria said. "He is rather small and most likely alone at the moment. His brother will be gone by the time you reach him." Singapore whipped her head around to stare at Algeria with narrowed eyes.

"Are you crazy?" she hissed. "I've faced that brother before and I almost didn't make it out alive." The words were accompanied by her yanking down a sleeve of her tunic. A long scar ran down her arm, one Algeria had never seen before. "He's deadly when angry."

"I am not wanting you to go after the brother," Algeria replied smoothly. "I am wanting you to go after him. I will deal with his brother if the need arises." Singapore set her jaw and flared her nostrils in aggravation.

"I want a raise," she finally said. "Iraṇṭu milliyaṉ _(Two million) _per slave this time. I'm not coming out of this broke."

"Very well," Algeria said. "I will offer you five million for this one if you will do as I say." This earned a pleased purr from Singapore.

"Oppu, _(Agreed,)_" Singapore said, holding out a hand. A small knife rested on her palm. "A swear on the blood, as usual."

"Very well," Algeria said, and accepted the knife from her, pricking his thumb and pressing it against Singapore's own. "Will this do?"

"Ām," Singapore said. She swiped the knife from Algeria and rose gracefully from her chair to stalk like a tiger across the room. She paused with her hand on the doorknob, winking at Algeria over her shoulder. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Algeria, as usual."

"As usual," Algeria said with a nod of his head. Once he was certain Singapore had left for good, the Asian nation liking spectacular entrances and exits, he moved to open another door. "Come along both of you," he said to Niger and Mauritania. "We are returning to Iceland."

o-o-{ }-o-o

Albania poked his head through the doorway, glancing around the garden, then sighed in relief. It had taken him several hours to first lose Germany and his gang of hunters then wash the paint off his face and find some clothes. It was a good thing Luxemburg owed him for World War Two.

Albania's quarry, whom he had been searching for during the chase, sat on a bench in the garden. Czech was looking at something she cupped in her hands, maybe a flower. Meandering through the garden, Albania paused to smell the flowers every once in a while, taking a good three minutes to walk the ten foot gap between himself and the small female nation. Czech was oblivious to his arrival.

"Ahoj," Albania said to the small female nation, sitting down beside her on the bench. "What are you doing?"

"Ahoj," Czech said back. She showed Albania the blood-red garnet in her hands. "I was thinking about Big Brother. He went horseback riding with Portugal yesterday."

"Po, I know," Albania said. "Are you said they left you behind?"

"Not really," Czech said. "I can spend more time with Big Sister. I know she likes ponies and Big Brother likes riding horses, but I never really liked them."

"Are they too big for you?" Albania asked, looking at Czech small form. "Scared you're going to fall to your death?"

"Ne," Czech said. She returned to looking at her gemstone happily. "I just don't like them. You can like something and not have a reason, right?" Innocent, questioning blue eyes were turned on Albania who paused, biting his lip.

"Tell me, Czech," he said, avoiding the question. "Do you like me?"

"Ano, you are funny and have lots of sweets," Czech said. She reverently slipped her stone into her pocket and hopped off the bench. "Big Brother doesn't like you, though. He says you're obnoxious and need to stop stealing from everyone. He called you a - ." And she proceeded to say something that should never come out of a young girl's mouth, especially when said so nonchalantly. Albania stared at her in shock before shaking his head.

"It would be best if you never said that again," he told her. "And I don't think your brother will be calling me that anytime soon."

"Why do you say that?" Czech asked curiously as she picked a mountain avens. "Did something happen to Big Brother. Did he die in a landslide?" She looked morbidly keen at the idea of this landslide.

"Why do you look so hopeful?" Albania asked nervously.

"I have never seen a landslide before," Czech said. She bounced back and forth on her heels excitedly. "Maybe Big Brother will tell me what it is like. He told me what is was like to get shot in the butt. He said he couldn't walk straight for three weeks after that." She looked thoughtfully as the sky. "Sometimes I think he's lying, then I just laugh and read a book."

"Po," Albania said, a guilty tone in his voice. "I can attest to the getting shot in the butt story."

"Did you get shot in the butt too?" Czech asked excitedly. The mountain avens was dropped to the ground, forgotten.

"Jo," Albania said. "I was the one who shop him." Czech blinked at him once before turning on her heel and making her way to the door of the hotel.

"You are mean to Big Brother," she said over her shoulder. "Perhaps he was right and you should be castrated then fed to the sharks."

"I would prefer that not to happen," Albania said. He paused, thinking, before he spoke again. "I'm meeting a friend here," he said. "He's a really nice guy, would you like to meet him?"

"If you promise not to shoot Big Brother in the butt again," Czech said, turning on her heel. "And if you will tell me a funny story about a time you were hurt."

"Okay," Albania relented with a shrug before quickly saying, "One-time-Romania's-freakish-boss-got-mad-so-he-castrated-me-you-wouldn't'-believe-how-long-it-took-for-that-to-heal." When he looked at Czech it was to see an 'oh' expression on her face before she lit up.

"Did it hurt?" she asked excitedly. Her attitude was really starting to creep Albania out. What did Slovakia teach his sister?

"Do you know what castration is?" he asked her.

"Ne," Czech said, bouncing on her heels once more. "But Big Brother says it would hurt very much."

"You know what a man is made of, po?" Albania asked, trying an innocent approach.

"Snips and snails and puppy dog tails," Czech sang happily. She twirled on a foot, her arms out and skirts swirling. Well, there went that attempt. Albania shook himself out of is shock and pushed on.

"Anyway," he said. "Imagine if some bastard decided to cut off you baby making material. That's what castration is." Czech stopped spinning in place and stared at him in shock. She twitched her nose like a bunny before shrugging.

"Then we can do half a castration and you can still make babies," she said before returning to spinning in a circle. "I'm made of sugar and spice and everything nice. What are _you_ made of?" she asked Albania as she spun around and around. Dust from the cobblestones rose along with her skirts.

"I'm made of ancient dusts that wants to devour you," Albania replied dryly. Czech giggled and stopped spinning, skipping to stand before Albania.

"All you need is friendship," she said before hugging Albania who froze. "And then you'll be all better." Albania blinked a few times before patting Czech on the back gently.

"I wish it could be like that," he said. "I hope you can forgive me."

"For what?" Czech said. She pulled back to give Albania a quizzical look. "Do you have to go somewhere?" Her innocence cracked Albania's heart in two.

"Po," Albania said, turning his gaze to the ground. "I hope you can forgive me for this."

Before Czech could ask any further questions someone grabbed her from behind. A hand was clapped over her mouth before she could scream and an arm wrapped around her own arms, trapping them against her sides. Czech's eyes widened in terror and she screamed against the hand, struggling against her attacker. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks.

Albania squeezed his eyes shut at the sound of Czech crying. He heard the footsteps retreat, dragging Czech along.

Czech struggled and cried as she was dragged through the back of the garden. Through a vine-covered gate her attacker pushed and made his way to a waiting car. Czech was pushed up against the side of the car and she felt a familiar sensation of something piercing her skin. Terror welled in Czech's stomach and she collapsed in her attacker's arms, sobbing. She wished she could see Big Brother tearing down the road shouting. For him to come and rescue her like he'd done so many times before.

Strong hands took Czech by the shoulders and turned her around to face the stranger. He towered over her, a mask covering the upper half of his face. His body radiated nation but Czech couldn't recognize him under the mask. It certainly wasn't Turkey, though. Wrong hair, wrong build. Everything was wrong about it.

Czech felt her lower lip trembling. "Big Brother," she squeaked out before wailing at the top of her lungs. "Starší Bratr, pomozte mi! _(Older Brother, help me!)_"

"Hush now," the nation said as he opened the back door of the car and urged Czech into it. "I do not want any of this nonsense." Czech whimpered, sliding across the back seat. She folded her hands in her lap, sniffling.

"I want Big Brother," she whimpered. The masked nation closed the door and pulled open the driver's door, sliding into the seat.

"You will meet him eventually," he said. Czech turned to look out a window and sniffed again.

"_Big Brother, help me."_

o-o-{ }-o-o

The islands of Trinidad and Tobago were in a crisis. Hurricane Bernice had destroyed many of the smaller towns on the outskirts of Trinidad and Tobago's forests were littered with debris. Therefore, as representation for both islands, it was Trinidad's duty to meet with their boss to solve the issue.

North Korea watched as Trinidad packed his bags. Or, at least, attempted to. Tobago was pestering his twin brother as Trinidad stuffed a shirt into his duffel bag. The smaller of the brothers had been trying to make sure his brother had everything he needed before he left. Though, North Korea was beginning to suspect Tobago was trying to keep Trinidad at the house.

"Do ya know where my folder is?" Trinidad asked Tobago as he sifted through his duffel bag. "The one with the financial paperwork in it?" He shoved Steelpan down when the dog attempted to jump on him.

"No," Tobago said, taking a couple of shirts from the duffel bag when Trinidad's back was turned. He placed them carefully back in the drawers. North Korea quirked an eyebrow when he saw the desired folder sitting on the nearby vanity.

Trinidad returned to his duffel bag then moved to grab the shirts from the drawer as if nothing had happened. Tobago removed the toothbrush and kicked it under the bed as quietly as he could. Trinidad tossed a hairbrush and a few hairbands into the duffel bag before carrying it into the bathroom with him. Tobago watched him before turning around, grabbing the dresser drawers, and dumping them all out onto the floor. Trinidad, returning from the bathroom, froze as he saw what Tobago was doing.

"Brother," he groaned. "Do we have ta go through this again?"

"You made this mess, not me," Tobago replied hotly, crossing his arms and frowning at Trinidad. "I keep telling you to keep the room clean or you'll burn to death when the house catches on fire."

"When is the house going ta catch on fire?" Trinidad asked with a sigh, but he dropped his duffel bag on the floor and bent down to begin cleaning up the mess. Clothes were thrown haphazardly back into drawers which were then slammed shut. North Korea watched the twin brothers with fascination.

When his brother was bent over once more Tobago seized his duffel bag and dumped it on Trinidad's head.

"Brother," Trinidad shouted in surprise. Giving up on Tobago, he began to grab supplies and threw them back into his duffel bag. "Yer going ta make me late fer the meeting with the boss." Tobago picked up once of his shirts and proceeded to try and fit into it. He ended up with his arms stuck in the sleeves and his head stuck in the buttoned up collar. Stumbling backward around the room, he crashed into various objects. North Korea watched him in fasciation.

"Brother," Trinidad said again. He moved forward to help Tobago out of the shirt. "Yer going ta hurt yerself again."

"If I hurt myself it's your fault," Tobago shot back, refusing to be helped out of the shirt.

"Alright, then," Trinidad said, and he yanked the shirt down, managing to fit it around Tobago. "Now I need ta be going. Don't burn North Korea like ya did the last guy." He laughed at North Korea's horrified expression before ruffling Tobago's hair and leaving with his duffel bag over his shoulder.

Tobago waited until his brother had left to pull the official looking documents from under the sheets where he had hidden them.

"Too bad he won't be able to do anything," he said.

"You do that on purpose, don't you, ez-ad?" North Korea asked Tobago curiously.

"Do what?" Tobago asked innocently. He pretended to hide the documents behind his back, a sheepish expression on his face.

"You kept taking things out of his bag," North Korea said. "It is as if you do not want him to leave, ez-ad.'

"I didn't do anything," Tobago said. He pulled the papers before him and began flipping through them, studying each page carefully.

"Of course not," North Korea muttered to himself. He watched Tobago frown over the documents for several minutes before his cellphone dinged with a message. Flipping the phone open, he smiled at the message. "It is for you, ez-ad," he said, passing the phone to Tobago.

_Enjoy last year's wildlife records. ;) I have what I need._

Tobago frowned at the words before releasing a rare screech of fury and tossing the papers into the air. They fluttered around the room, landing on nearly every surface they could.

"He will be back the day after tomorrow," North Korea said consolingly. "I have sent a message to Aniki saying I am staying here until Trinidad returns, ez-ad." Tobago made a noise of disgust and dove under the covers, messing up the bed he'd made just that morning.

"Tobago," North Korea groaned as he pulled the covers back. "You are acting immature. Your brother will be back soon, ez-ad." Tobago glared at him from where he laid curled up on the mattress.

"How do you know?" he demanded. "Brother may not be back this time."

"Trinidad always returns," North Korea said. "Has he ever broken a promise to you, ez-ad?" He ignored Steelpan as the dog sniffed some of the papers, his furry tail hanging low.

"No," Tobago answered. "But he never makes promises."

"Then he has none to break, ez-ad," North Korea said firmly. He slid off the bed and made his way around the room, beginning to straighten up. Tobago watched him for several minutes before he pulled the covers back over himself.

"I'm not coming out until Brother is home," he said.

"Fine," North Korea said. "Then Steelpan and I will just eat breakfast together." He looked down at Steelpan whose tail had started wagging at his name. "Don't you dare. No. Don'. Stop, ez-ad!" Steelpan ignored the orders as he leaped onto North Korea, licking the nation's face.

o-o-{ }-o-o

Poland raced ahead of Germany as they meandered on their walk down the beach. She giggled as her feet sank into the black basalt littering the beach they'd chosen to visit. Her immaturity didn't seem to matter to her as long as she was able to have fun. Germany followed Poland at a more sedate pace, watching his wife with a smile.

"Germany," Poland called back, waving her arms from where she stood on a large rock. Germany balked. When had she climbed up there? "Can you, like, hear me?"

"Ja, I can hear you just fine," Germany called back. "Be careful you don't fall off and get hurt."

"I'm not going to fall off," Poland said. Even from yards away Germany could tell she was rolling her eyes.

"Ja, you are," Germany countered. "And then I'm going to have to clean it up." He stopped walking and tucked his hands into his pockets, his eyes on his wife.

"Co?" Poland cried in mock pain. "You're mean!"

"It's the truth," Germany said. He began to make his way across the sand once more. "I don't want you dying on me here.'

"So," Poland said, drawing out the _o_. "Is it alright if I, like, die in the volcano then?" She motioned behind herself to Eyjafjallajökull.

"Nein," Germany said. He finaly reached Poland's rock. "But it's alright if you die at home." Wrapping his arms around Poland's waist, he lifted her down and set her firmly on the ground.

"Why home?" Poland said with a pout. "Is it going to be, like, easier to clean up?"

"And Iceland won't get in trouble for your death," Germany added with a nod. He wrapped an arm around Poland's shoulders and continued their hike across the beach that was slowly turning into rocks. "Let's not get someone arrested for your death."

"Just for that," Poland said, sticking her tongue out at Germany. "I'm totality going to die here today."

"You know you're only going to come back," Germany said pointedly. "You have every other time."

"This time," Poland said, excitement in her eyes. "I'll, like, come back as a baby and you can raise me!"

"Then I won't marry you again," Germany said with a straight face.

"Why not?" Poland whined. "It's totally make us closer."

"You'll be a daughter to me," Germany said. "Why do you think China's wasn't allowed to raise Indonesia when she was reborn?" He thought through his words before nodding to himself. "Besides his self-isolation."

"Fine," Poland said with an exaggerated groan. "I'll die after we have babies."

"You're going to leave me with the brats?" Germany asked, chuckling at the thought. "Sometimes your logic worries me."

"Yep!" Poland said joyfully. "And I'll totally take Prussia with me this time so you'll be forced to raise him too!"

"It was bad enough _being_ raised by him," Germany groaned. "Don't make me deal with him as a child too. Austria says he was terrible."

"It'll be, like, fun," Poland argued. "And you'll learn a lot. Think of all the knowledge you'll get."

"You mean how crazy I'll become," Germany corrected his wife. He ruffled her hair playfully before pinching her in the side.

"Ow!" Poland smacked his hand away. "Don't do that!"

"Was?" Germany asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "This?" He pinched Poland again.

"Tak!" Poland squealed and darted forward, disappearing around the corner. Germany's heart leapt when he heard a shrieked of surprise and she didn't reappear.

"Poland!" he shouted. "Holen Sie sich hier zurück. _(Get back here.)_" Racing around the corner, he froze at what he saw.

Poland had been backed into a corner by two tall, cocoa-skinned men. A third stood behind them, watching in silence as Poland screamed in terror again.

"Hey!" Germany roared. Charging forward, he seized the third and tallest nation by the shoulder and spun him around to punch him in the jaw. "Leave her alone!"

The man stumbled back a step before he regained his balance and drove his fist at Germany's check. Germany rolled with the blow, ducked under the man's arm afterward, and landed a blow in the man's stomach. The man grunted in pain and doubled over, driving his elbow into Germany's stomach. Germany coughed and stumbled back a step before placing a boot on the man's back and shoving him forward into a rock.

"Poland," he shouted, looking over his shoulder. "You need to get out of here." Poland whimpered, trying to move further into corner when one of the men approached her.

"Mauritania," the third man said, sitting up and rubbing at his head. He scowled when he saw blood on his head. Mauritania turned his back on Poland and moved to stand before Germany instead.

"Mauritania?" Germany growled, bending his knees. "I haven't heard from you in years." Mauritania glanced out of the corner of this eye at the man on the ground.

"I have been buy," he finaly said slowly.

"And yet you look to him for the answer," Germany said. "There's more to this, isn't there?"

"More than you care to know," the tallest man said, standing up. "Perhaps I will tell you later when we are home."

"I'm not coming with you," Germany said. His eyes flicked between the three men and his wife. "And neither is Poland."

"I am afraid you do not have a choice," the man said. "You see, Niger has experience with difficult nations."

Niger glanced over his shoulder at his name, his head whipping back around when he heard the crunching of pebbles as Poland took off. It took a brief second for Niger to snap out of his shock before he raced after Poland. Germany leaped sideways and managed to tackle Niger to the ground, scraping them both up on the rocks. Niger grunted and drove his knee expertly into Germany's stomach. Flipping them both over easily and sitting on Germany's stomach, he pinned the European nation down easily.

Mauritania darted past the pair of nations. He caught up to Poland easily. The female nation shrieked as she was tackled to the ground.

"I, like, don't want to die today!" Poland wailed, struggling against Mauritania. "Let me go!"

"Polen!" Germany roared. He kneed Niger hard in the back before swinging his head up and bashing their foreheads together. "Get off!" The blow didn't seem to faze Niger who flipped Germany over easily and dragged his arms back, wrapping a cord tightly around the upper arms. It held Germany's arms in a painful position.

"Gah," Germany grunted. He struggled against Niger as hard as he could, kicking up pebbles in the process.

Mauritania dragged Poland back, struggling to carry her as she kicked and screamed.

"Bind them," the third man said.

"Naam, Algeria," Niger said, his voice weary. In his struggles Germany heard the clicking of chains. He turned his head to see Algeria pulled sets of shackles from duffel bag and tossed them to Niger and Mauritania.

"Nein!" he shouted furiously. Germany tried to twist his arms out of Niger's grip and gritted his teeth in pain. "Get off me."

"I am afraid I cannot do that," Niger said, locking a shackle around one of Germany's wrists.

Poland yelped in pain and surprise when she was shoved to the ground near Germany, Mauritania pinning her place with a knee to her back.

"Nie!" Poland screamed, scrabbling wildly at the ground. She broke out into sobs when Mauritania managed to lock a wrist into a shackle.

Niger finished locking Germany's other wrist into a shackle and stood to move to the European nation's ankles. Seizing his chance, Germany struggled to his feet and bolted from Niger and toward the beach. His plan was thwarted when a fist collided with the back of his head, causing him to collapse to the ground. He rolled over to see Niger where he'd left him and Algeria towering over him, a scowl on his face.

"You are all very troublesome," Algeria said to Germany. "Much more than the other nations I have had to deal with."

Poland wailed as Mauritania finished locking her ankles into the shackles. She was dragged gently to her feet by the taller nation.

"What do you want from us?" Germany demanded, struggling to push himself into a sitting position. "What did we ever do to you?"

"What did you ever do to us?" Algeria repeated before kneeling down before Germany and placing a finger under his chin. "Why, you pig, you abandoned us as soon as you could. Ghana was in shambles when you left, especially when that filthy British pig pulled out." Germany gaped at him before jerking his head away.

"You're still holding that grudge after all these years?" he asked. "Algeria, if you don't forgive you won't be able to go anywhere. Why do you think your nations are suffering?"

"Oh, Germany, Germany," Algeria said, grasping Germany firmly by the chin and forcing the other nation to look at him. "I am not holding on to it, I am cleaning up after you filthy pigs."

"You're not going to get away with this," Germany growled. He tried to wrench his chin free from Algeria's strong grip. "Russia, China, England, they'll all notice eventually."

"I hate to sound silly," Algeria said with a sigh as he stood up. "But I already have."

Germany kicked out a leg, swiping Algeria off his feet. The African nation hit the ground with a grunt. He glared at Germany from where he had landed. Niger, who had paled considerably, hurried forward to help his brother to his feet. Algeria waved Niger off before approaching Germany.

"I would like to tell you something, German pig," Algeria snarled.

"And what is that?" Germany asked from his position on the ground.

"You will not survive the next few weeks," was all Algeria said before he brought a boot down hard on Germany's ace. Germany grunted as his head hit the ground. He moaned at the feeling of blood flowing freely from his nose.

"Verdammt." He heard the pebbles crunching as Algeria marched away. Germany was rolled over onto his stomach and cold metal locked around his ankles.

"You should not have done that," Niger muttered in Germany's ears. "Now Algeria will most certainly kill you."

"Let him try," Germany said before spitting out a mouthful of blood. "He won't get away with any of this."

"I am afraid he already has," Niger said, helping Germany to his feet. "He already has Spain, Estonia, Portugal, and Slovakia."

"Verdammt," Germany muttered. He stumbled across the pebbles, finding it rather difficult to walk in the chains. "If only America would start complaining about not getting to join the meeting already."

"If America comes," Niger said, watching as Poland was hoisted over Mauritania's shoulder when she was unable to walk. "Then so will our sister."

"And that's a bad thing for you?" Germany asked for confusion. He attempted to wipe his cheek on his shoulder and only succeeded in smearing the blood across his face.

"If Morocco finds out about this," Niger said. "I fear Algeria will not survive her wrath this time."

"Then maybe Morocco needs to come," Germany said, spitting on the ground again. "Before someone dies."

* * *

A/N: _**What did you think? **_**We seriously need to get a babysitter. **_Acirema won't last much longer through this story. _*Tremble.*

_Before Slovakia, Bohemia, Silesia, and Moravia there was Great Moravia which was destroyed the Hungarians. Czech's lands went to Austria and she became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and Slovakia's land went to Hungary. He became her capital for economics and resources. They were later rejoined with Austro-Hungary, but Slovaks were never given the same power as Czechs, though the Czechs for their rights. They were later merged into one nation. Czechoslovakia and Poland fought over borders many times._

_Singapore! She is one of the largest ports in the world with many strict laws (like no spitting gum onto sidewalks.) With no set culture (Indian, Chinese, and Malay, no set religion (Christian, Hindu, atheist, and so on), or language (Malay, Tamil, Chinese, and English), Singapore is very diverse. It was once a pirate outpost and was later used by the British whom they liked. Japan invaded during World War Two (the largest British naval surrender in history) and Singapore lost many of its Chinese citizens. I've based her more off her wanting to be a pirate again. She's very feline._

_Who is this masked stranger? _**Shut up, Pollux. **_Tee hee!_

**Tobago loves his brother very much. He hates to see him leave for meetings.**

**Ghana was a major colony due to one thing. **_We'll give you a hint! It's name the Gold Coast (or something like that, I can't remember). _**That's right. Gold. Germany, Britain, Portugal, and a few other nations colonized Ghana for its rich gold.**

_Many African countries suffer and are considered third world because they lack the resources for their people. When the borders of Africa were drawn, they were drawn around many tribes that already hated each other. _**So they fought even more. **_Hence the Rwandan Genocide._

_Also, many African farmers don't understand erosion or know about crop rotation, so they're turning more and more into a desert every year._


	8. Life sucks and then you die

Disclaimer: _**We don't *yawn* own Hetalia.**_

A/N: _**Not a real chapter, sorry.**_

**Life sucks and then you die**

The door to the office creaks open on silent hinges and Germany pokes his head through. He and the other nations haven't heard from Castor and Pollux in over a month now. They've been getting worried.

"Castor," Germany says. "Pollux, I don't want to be a bother, but Estonia is-." He freezes at what he sees. "Mein gott."

"Is something wrong, Germany?" Estonia asks as he pushes the door open. He stares at the messy office. "It's not really that surprising it's so messy in here, they are authors after all."

"It's not that," Germany says. "It's _that_." He points at the two forms in the room. One short blonde girl sits on the floor of the office, her head tucked into her arms which are resting on the futon. She obviously hadn't made it to the futon in time before falling asleep. The other blonde girl is bent over a desk asleep, her glasses perched on the top of her head.

"They're sleeping?" Estonia asks.

"Who're sleeping?" a new voice asks. England shoves past Germany and Estonia to see Castor and Pollux sleeping. "Are you bloody joking me?" she almost screeches. "We've been sitting around waiting for them to write more scripts and all they've been doing is _sleeping_?"

Pollux stirs in her sleep and sits up slowly. Germany's heart breaks to see her look around blearily with a confused expression. Her eyes fall on Germany, Estonia, and England and she groans, throwing herself back onto the futon.

"We're sorry," she mumbles into the cushion of the futon. "Okay? We just haven't had the time or energy."

"Isn't this your summer vacation?" England demands. "Yes, you struggled a bit last summer, but you ended up doing alright." She earns herself a glare from Pollux.

"Gee, thanks," Pollux snaps. She turns back to the futon and proceeds to try and pull herself onto it with only her arms. It's quite a struggle for the tired girl.

"But it _is_ your summer vacation?" Estonia asks. "Correct?"

"C'est vrai, _(It's true,)_" Pollux says, her voice muffled. "But it doesn't feel like one."

"What do you mean?" Germany asks, fearing the answer he's going to hear.

"I'm up at freaking four thirty in the morning," Pollux moans. She rolls over to glare at the nations. "And I don't get to bed until at least nine o'clock at night." Germany swallows hard. It's worse than he feared. "I'm working two freaking jobs this summer and I don't have time for a life." Tears form in Pollux's eyes as she continues to speak, her voice breaking. "I-I can't do this. I can't have ask another customer if they have their rewards or be insulted or yelled at by another one. I j-just c-can't do it."

"Oh, you poor thing," England coos, hurrying to hug Pollux. Castor finally wakes up at the desk. She turns to see Germany then goes right back to sleep. "It's no wonder we haven't been hearing anything from you in so long." England tucks her wings around the crying Pollux. "Hush, it will be alright. It's only for another three months." Pollux wails at this and Castor grumbles into the wood.

"Wrong thing to say, England," Estonia mutters, but he moves to grab a blanket and drape it over Castor. "Is Castor working two jobs also?" He sighs when he sees Pollux's nod. "Wonderful, they'll crack by the end of the summer."

"That's enough, Estonia," Germany says. He marches into the room, taking over the situation. "England, please move Pollux so we can pull the futon out. They'll be more comfortable if they can actually get some sleep. Estonia, I need you to write a letter to the readers explaining what's going on here." Estonia nods and leaves quickly as England moves a sniffling Pollux. The futon is pulled out and England eases Pollux down on it. Germany is able to convince a growling and hissing Castor to move onto the futon beside her twin sister. He looks around himself before sighing. "We need to tell everyone else what's going on here. Russia will be furious Castor and Pollux hid this from us for so long."

"Algeria's going to be angry his big debut had a long break," England mutters as she leaves with Germany. The lights are turned off and the door shut quietly.

"Those poor dears."

A/N: _**We're both working two jobs this summer, so bear with us. Pretty please! **__I'm going to bed. I have to get up tomorrow at 4:30._ **Good night! Sleep tight! Don't let the bedbugs bite!** _Shut up, please._


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